Yoko Ishii (石井 葉子, Ishii Yōko; born October 18, 1958, in Chōfu, Tokyo, Japan), better known as Megumi Ishii (石井 めぐみ…Yoko Ishii (石井 葉子, Ishii Yōko; born October 18, 1958, in Chōfu, Tokyo, Japan), better known as Megumi Ishii (石井 めぐみ, Ishii Megumi) is a Japanese actress and politician who is represented by the talent agency, Wonder Production. In 2015, she was elected to the Kunitachi Municipal Assembly.
Tsukasa Kobiki (木挽 司, Kobiki Tsukasa; born 18 October 1958) is a former Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic…Tsukasa Kobiki (木挽 司, Kobiki Tsukasa; born 18 October 1958) is a former Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, who served as a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature). A native of Nishinomiya, Hyogo and graduate of Kansai University, he was elected to the House of Representatives for the first time in 2005 after serving in the city assembly of Itami, Hyogo.
Masachi Osawa (大澤 真幸, Ōsawa Masachi; born October 15, 1958 in Nagano, Japan) is a Japanese sociologist and philosopher.…Masachi Osawa (大澤 真幸, Ōsawa Masachi; born October 15, 1958 in Nagano, Japan) is a Japanese sociologist and philosopher. Outside Japan, he is best known as a social scientist, often mentioned in reference to sociological and philosophical research on otaku culture and popular Japanese animation series such as Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex.
Kazuya Terashima (Japanese: 寺嶋 一弥, Hepburn: Terashima Kazuya; 13 October 1958 – 6 October 2020), known by his pen name…Kazuya Terashima (Japanese: 寺嶋 一弥, Hepburn: Terashima Kazuya; 13 October 1958 – 6 October 2020), known by his pen name Izumi Matsumoto (まつもと 泉, Matsumoto Izumi), was a Japanese manga artist best known for Kimagure Orange Road. His career started in 1982, publishing his comic Milk Report in the manga magazine Weekly Shōnen Jump. But real success came in 1984, publishing Kimagure Orange Road in the same magazine. In 2005, he revealed that he was afflicted with a cerebrospinal fluid disease (possibly stemming from a car accident when he was three years old) that had forced him to take six years off work, and he hoped to bring attention to this disorder through a new manga. On 3 November 2019, Matsumoto revealed that he had been diagnosed with spinal stenosis. Matsumoto died at 61 on October 6, 2020.
Kazushito Manabe (真鍋和人, Manabe Kazushito; born October 12, 1958) is a retired Japanese weightlifter. He won a bronze…Kazushito Manabe (真鍋和人, Manabe Kazushito; born October 12, 1958) is a retired Japanese weightlifter. He won a bronze medal in the flyweight category at the 1984 Summer Olympics, as well as two bronze medals at world championships in 1981 and 1984; weightlifting at the latter championships was combined with the 1984 Olympics. He finished eighth at the 1988 Games. He graduated from the Niihama Technical High School and later worked at the Izumi Chemical company.
Motome Takisawa (滝沢 求, Takisawa Motome; born 11 October 1958) is a Japanese politician from the Liberal Democratic…Motome Takisawa (滝沢 求, Takisawa Motome; born 11 October 1958) is a Japanese politician from the Liberal Democratic Party. He served as member of the House of Councillors for Aomori at-large district.
Mai Yamane (山根 麻以, Yamane Mai; born 9 October 1958) is a Japanese singer, known for her work on the soundtracks of…Mai Yamane (山根 麻以, Yamane Mai; born 9 October 1958) is a Japanese singer, known for her work on the soundtracks of Cowboy Bebop and other anime with Yoko Kanno and for her 1980s and 90s music, including Tasogare.
Tomio Imamura (Imamura Tomio; 7 October 1958) is a Japanese master of Shotokan karate. He has won the JKA's version of…Tomio Imamura (Imamura Tomio; 7 October 1958) is a Japanese master of Shotokan karate. He has won the JKA's version of the world championships for kumite on 2 occasions. He has also won the JKA All-Japan championships for kumite on 2 occasions. He is currently an instructor of the Japan Karate Association.
Hiroshi Kataoka (ja: 片岡 宏誌) is a Japanese entomologist and a professor emeritus at the University of Tokyo, Japan. He…Hiroshi Kataoka (ja: 片岡 宏誌) is a Japanese entomologist and a professor emeritus at the University of Tokyo, Japan. He has conducted research on insect hormones and the prothoracic gland, which secretes ecdysteroids. His achievements garnered international attention, with several commentary articles published in leading journals like Science and several covers in prestigious journals such as the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. His research has also been widely covered by both Japanese and international media. He was exceptionally skilled in experimental techniques. Before joining the faculty at the University of Tokyo, he managed to purify and identify most of the insect peptide hormones known at the time, including prothoracicotropic hormone (PTTH), allatotropin, allatostatin, eclosion hormone, and diuretic hormone. Notably, his two mentors received the prestigious Japanese Academy Prize (日本学士院賞) for their work on the purification and identification of PTTH, a milestone that had eluded many predecessors. Around October 2001, he established the Laboratory of Molecular Recognition at the University of Tokyo's new Kashiwa campus as a professor. He supported the young associate professor Kazushige Touhara while an article in Nature reviewed the hiring of young faculty members. As a result, he established a highly productive environment. Of the 20 initial members at the Kashiwa Campus start-up, three were awarded the Japan Academy Medal—Kazushige Touhara, Yuki Oka, and Naoki Yamanaka—Japan's highest honor for young researchers to date. He also played a crucial role as a head of the graduate school system and in the establishment of the Kashiwa campus. His research was conducted in collaboration with numerous researchers from Japanese and international institutions, including Nagoya University, the National Institute of Agrobiological Sciences, University of Tsukuba, Zhejiang University, the Slovak Academy of Sciences, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the University of Washington, and Paris Diderot University.
Masato Nakamura (中村 正人, Nakamura Masato; born October 1, 1958) is a Japanese musician, bass guitarist, and record…Masato Nakamura (中村 正人, Nakamura Masato; born October 1, 1958) is a Japanese musician, bass guitarist, and record producer. He is a member of the J-pop band Dreams Come True, which was formed in 1988 and went on to sell over 50 million CDs. He also composed the soundtracks for the video games Sonic the Hedgehog (1991) and Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (1992).
Naoko Satō (佐藤尚子, Satō Naoko; October 30, 1957 – August 9, 1999), better known as Jackie Sato (ジャッキー佐藤, Jakkī Satō)…Naoko Satō (佐藤尚子, Satō Naoko; October 30, 1957 – August 9, 1999), better known as Jackie Sato (ジャッキー佐藤, Jakkī Satō), was a Japanese professional wrestler. In the 1970s, while wrestling for All Japan Women's Pro-Wrestling (AJW), she formed the tag team, the Beauty Pair, with Maki Ueda. Following in the steps of Mach Fumiake, the Beauty Pair was part of an important shift in the culture of Japanese women's wrestling, attracting more female fans by becoming pop icons. In their mainstream success, Satō and Ueda led to the Crush Gals of the 1980s.
Shinichiro Takahashi (高橋 真一郎, Takahashi Shin'ichirō; born October 27, 1957) is a former Japanese football player and…Shinichiro Takahashi (高橋 真一郎, Takahashi Shin'ichirō; born October 27, 1957) is a former Japanese football player and manager.
Atsushi Onita (大仁田 厚, Ōnita Atsushi; born October 25, 1957) is a Japanese actor, politician, and semi-retired…Atsushi Onita (大仁田 厚, Ōnita Atsushi; born October 25, 1957) is a Japanese actor, politician, and semi-retired professional wrestler. He is best known for his work in Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling (FMW) and is credited with introducing the deathmatch style of professional wrestling to Japan. He is a former 7-time FMW Brass Knuckles Heavyweight Champion and 3-time All Asia Tag Team Champion alongside partners Masanobu Fuchi, Yoshitatsu, and Toy Kojima. Onita founded FMW in 1989, defeating martial artist Masashi Aoyagi under his own martial arts rules in the main event of the second night of the promotion's inaugural event. FMW later emerged as a full-fledged touring organization, moving away from martial arts-inspired shoot style matches and moving toward the rasslin'-inspired deathmatch style – which became popular with Japanese fans. He was the promotion's top star, wrestling in main event matches at sold-out events, making FMW a financially successful company, particularly for a Japanese independent promotion. Onita sold FMW to Shoichi Arai and retired from wrestling in 1995 to pursue an acting career, which was unsuccessful, forcing him to return as a wrestler in 1996. After returning to FMW, he led stables ZEN and Team Zero but departed the company in 1998 after disagreements over his position in the company. He held the FMW Brass Knuckles Heavyweight Championship a record seven times and headlined the first six editions of FMW's premier Anniversary Show event from 1989 to 1995.
Hiroshi Saitō (斎藤 弘, Saitō Hiroshi; born 18 October 1957) is a Japanese politician who served as the governor of…Hiroshi Saitō (斎藤 弘, Saitō Hiroshi; born 18 October 1957) is a Japanese politician who served as the governor of Yamagata Prefecture. Saitō was born in Yamagata. After graduating from Tokyo University of Foreign Studies in 1981, he worked at the Bank of Japan. He received Master of International Public Policy and Master of Arts degrees from the Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies at the Johns Hopkins University in 1989 and 1990, respectively. He was elected as governor of Yamagata in 2005, and then defeated for reelection in an upset by Mieko Yoshimura.
Kimio Sugimoto (杉本公雄, Sugimoto Kimio; born 15 October 1957) is a Japanese former volleyball player who competed in the…Kimio Sugimoto (杉本公雄, Sugimoto Kimio; born 15 October 1957) is a Japanese former volleyball player who competed in the 1984 Summer Olympics and in the 1988 Summer Olympics.
Ikuo Takahara (高原 郁夫, Takahara Ikuo; born October 14, 1957) is a former Japanese football player. He played for Japan…Ikuo Takahara (高原 郁夫, Takahara Ikuo; born October 14, 1957) is a former Japanese football player. He played for Japan national team.
Gen Nakatani (中谷 元, Nakatani Gen; born 14 October 1957) is a Japanese politician who was Director General of the Japan…Gen Nakatani (中谷 元, Nakatani Gen; born 14 October 1957) is a Japanese politician who was Director General of the Japan Defense Agency (now Japan Ministry of Defense) in the first cabinet of former prime minister Junichiro Koizumi in 2001-2002 and was appointed the Minister of Defense by former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in 2014. Nakatani was again named to the position of Minister of Defense for the cabinet of Shigeru Ishiba in 2024.
Rumiko Takahashi (高橋 留美子, Takahashi Rumiko; born October 10, 1957) is a Japanese manga artist. With a career of several…Rumiko Takahashi (高橋 留美子, Takahashi Rumiko; born October 10, 1957) is a Japanese manga artist. With a career of several commercially successful works, beginning with Urusei Yatsura in 1978, she is one of Japan's best-known and wealthiest manga artists. Her works are known worldwide, where they have been translated into a variety of languages, with over 230 million copies in circulation; making Takahashi one of the best-selling authors of all time. She has won the Shogakukan Manga Award twice, once in 1980 for Urusei Yatsura and again in 2001 for Inuyasha, and the Seiun Award twice, once in 1987 for Urusei Yatsura and again in 1989 for Mermaid Saga. She also received the Grand Prix de la ville d'Angoulême in 2019, becoming the second woman and second Japanese to win the prize. In 2020, the Japanese government awarded Takahashi the Medal with Purple Ribbon for her contributions to the arts.
Yōsuke Isozaki (礒崎 陽輔, Isozaki Yōsuke; born 9 October 1957) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party…Yōsuke Isozaki (礒崎 陽輔, Isozaki Yōsuke; born 9 October 1957) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party and a member of the House of Councillors in the Diet. A native of Ōita, Ōita, he joined the Ministry of Home Affairs after graduating from the University of Tokyo in 1982. After leaving the ministry in 2006, he was elected to the House of Councillors for the first time in 2007. He is affiliated with the revisionist lobby Nippon Kaigi.
Yoichiro Yoshikawa (吉川洋一郎, Yoshikawa Yōichirō; October 8, 1957 – January 16, 2026) was a Japanese composer, music…Yoichiro Yoshikawa (吉川洋一郎, Yoshikawa Yōichirō; October 8, 1957 – January 16, 2026) was a Japanese composer, music arranger and film producer. He also collaborated with singer and actress Jun Togawa.
Junichi Usui (臼井 淳一, Usui Jun'ichi) (born 5 October 1957) is a retired Japanese long jumper, best known for finishing…Junichi Usui (臼井 淳一, Usui Jun'ichi) (born 5 October 1957) is a retired Japanese long jumper, best known for finishing seventh at the 1984 Olympic Games. Usui won the British AAA Championships title in the long jump event at the 1982 AAA Championships.
Yasuhiko Funago (舩後靖彦, Funago Yasuhiko; born 4 October 1957) is a Japanese politician and former member of the House of…Yasuhiko Funago (舩後靖彦, Funago Yasuhiko; born 4 October 1957) is a Japanese politician and former member of the House of Councillors. He and fellow councillor Eiko Kimura became the first people with severe disabilities elected to Japan's National Diet in 2019. He is a member of the Reiwa Shinsengumi. ALS has caused him to lose much of his mobility, requiring a full-time caregiver.
Tomoko Hoshino (星野 知子, Hoshino Tomoko; born October 3, 1957 in Nagaoka, Niigata) is a Japanese actress and essayist.…Tomoko Hoshino (星野 知子, Hoshino Tomoko; born October 3, 1957 in Nagaoka, Niigata) is a Japanese actress and essayist. She graduated from Hosei University.
Kentarō Yano (矢野 健太郎, Yano Kentarō; born October 3, 1957) is a Japanese manga artist. He attended Osaka University of…Kentarō Yano (矢野 健太郎, Yano Kentarō; born October 3, 1957) is a Japanese manga artist. He attended Osaka University of Arts, majoring in design in the college of fine arts. In February 1981, Yano made his debut with Kyōka Senshi Armpit, which won the 2nd Seinen Manga Contest.
Genki Hitomi (人見 元基, Hitomi Genki) (born Noriaki Hitomi, October 1, 1957 in Tokyo, Japan) is a Japanese former singer…Genki Hitomi (人見 元基, Hitomi Genki) (born Noriaki Hitomi, October 1, 1957 in Tokyo, Japan) is a Japanese former singer and teacher is best known as the lead vocalist of the Japanese heavy metal band Vow Wow in the 1980s.
Kazuyo Sejima (妹島 和世, Sejima Kazuyo; born 29 October 1956) is a Japanese architect and director of her own firm, Kazuyo…Kazuyo Sejima (妹島 和世, Sejima Kazuyo; born 29 October 1956) is a Japanese architect and director of her own firm, Kazuyo Sejima & Associates. In 1995, she co-founded the firm SANAA (Sejima + Nishizawa & Associates). In 2010, Sejima was the second woman to receive the Pritzker Prize, which was awarded jointly with Nishizawa. They were only the second partnership to be honored with this prize.
Masayuki Suo (周防 正行, Suo Masayuki; born October 29, 1956) is a Japanese film director. He is best known for his two…Masayuki Suo (周防 正行, Suo Masayuki; born October 29, 1956) is a Japanese film director. He is best known for his two Japan Academy Prize-winning films, Sumo Do, Sumo Don't (1992) and Shall We Dance? (1996).
Daitetsu Tadamitsu (大徹 忠晃; born 29 October 1956 as Tadamitsu Minami (南 忠晃)) is a former sumo wrestler from Ōno, Fukui…Daitetsu Tadamitsu (大徹 忠晃; born 29 October 1956 as Tadamitsu Minami (南 忠晃)) is a former sumo wrestler from Ōno, Fukui, Japan. He made his professional debut in July 1971, and reached the top division in November, 1983. His highest rank was komusubi. He retired in September 1990, and has worked as a coach at both the original Nishonoseki stable and the new version of the stable, under the elder name Minatogawa.
Edward Erich Anderson (October 24, 1956 – June 1, 2024) was an American actor and novelist. He starred in film and on…Edward Erich Anderson (October 24, 1956 – June 1, 2024) was an American actor and novelist. He starred in film and on television, and was widely known for his role in the 1984 horror film Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter as Rob Dier. He also starred in the 1988 film Bat*21 and in the 2002 drama film Unfaithful.
Mamoru Miura (Miura Mamoru; born October 23, 1956) is a Japanese jurist who has served as an associate Justice of the…Mamoru Miura (Miura Mamoru; born October 23, 1956) is a Japanese jurist who has served as an associate Justice of the Supreme Court of Japan since 2018.
Akie Sato (佐藤 秋恵, Satō Akie; née Shuto (首藤, Shutō), born October 23, 1956, in Ōita, Ōita Prefecture, Japan), better…Akie Sato (佐藤 秋恵, Satō Akie; née Shuto (首藤, Shutō), born October 23, 1956, in Ōita, Ōita Prefecture, Japan), better known as Akie Asaka (浅香 あき恵, Asaka Akie), is a Japanese comedian who is represented by the talent agency, Yoshimoto Kogyo. Asaka was a resident in Kita-ku, Sakai, Osaka Prefecture. She is also an actress for Yoshimoto Shinkigeki.
Toshiyuki Nagashima (永島敏行, Nagashima Toshiyuki) is a Japanese actor. He won the award for Best Newcomer at the 3rd…Toshiyuki Nagashima (永島敏行, Nagashima Toshiyuki) is a Japanese actor. He won the award for Best Newcomer at the 3rd Hochi Film Awards for Kaerazaru hibi and for Best Actor at the 6th Hochi Film Awards for Enrai.
Minoru Mukaiya (向谷 実, Mukaiya Minoru; born 20 October 1956) is a Japanese musician best known as the former keyboardist…Minoru Mukaiya (向谷 実, Mukaiya Minoru; born 20 October 1956) is a Japanese musician best known as the former keyboardist of the jazz fusion band Casiopea and producer of the Train Simulator series of Japanese video games. Mukaiya joined Casiopea during its formation in 1977 (with guitarist Issei Noro, drummer Takashi Sasaki and bassist Tetsuo Sakurai) and remained in the group until their hiatus in 2006. Since leaving the band he has created his own musical production team, "Mukaiya Club." He also serves as the president and CEO of the company Ongakukan, which produces professional train simulators for Japanese transit systems and has distributed video games to the general public. Mukaiya has also appeared in the event of Nico Nico Douga. Mukaiya has composed around 200 distinct melodies for over 110 subway stations in Japan. In 2019, British television presenter James May interviewed Mukaiya for episode 3 of James May: Our Man in Japan, discussing Mukaiya's involvement in composing melodies for train stations. In episode 11 of Great Japanese Railway Journeys, broadcast in April 2026, Mukaiya was interviewed by Michael Portillo and a figure of about 300 melodies was given by Mukaiya.
Junko Kido (木戸 順子, Kido Junko; 17 October 1956 – 4 January 2020), better known by her birth name, Junko Hirotani (広谷…Junko Kido (木戸 順子, Kido Junko; 17 October 1956 – 4 January 2020), better known by her birth name, Junko Hirotani (広谷 順子, Hirotani Junko), was a Japanese singer.
Kazushi Hosaka (保坂 和志, Hosaka Kazushi; born 15 October 1956) is a Japanese writer. He has won the Noma Literary New…Kazushi Hosaka (保坂 和志, Hosaka Kazushi; born 15 October 1956) is a Japanese writer. He has won the Noma Literary New Face Prize, the Akutagawa Prize, and the Tanizaki Prize.
Hiroshi Michinaga (道永 宏, Michinaga Hiroshi) (born 8 October 1956) is an archer from Japan, who was born in Hyogo…Hiroshi Michinaga (道永 宏, Michinaga Hiroshi) (born 8 October 1956) is an archer from Japan, who was born in Hyogo, Japan. He competed for Japan in the 1976 Summer Olympics held in Montreal, Quebec, Canada in the individual event where he finished in second place behind American Darrell Pace .
Joji Tani (Japanese: 谷譲治, Hepburn: Tani Jōji), known as Screaming Mad George (October 7, 1956 – February 10, 2026), was…Joji Tani (Japanese: 谷譲治, Hepburn: Tani Jōji), known as Screaming Mad George (October 7, 1956 – February 10, 2026), was a Japanese special effects artist, film director and musician. He was born in Osaka, Japan, and emigrated to the United States, where he became known for his surreal, grotesque and gory special effects. He collaborated with director and producer Brian Yuzna on many films.
MIQ (三玖, Miku; born October 3, 1955), previously known as MIO, is a Japanese pop singer and vocal trainer from Minato…MIQ (三玖, Miku; born October 3, 1955), previously known as MIO, is a Japanese pop singer and vocal trainer from Minato, Tokyo. She is known for her performances on the soundtracks of various anime, notably the theme songs of Sunrise's Combat Mecha Xabungle, Aura Battler Dunbine, Heavy Metal L-Gaim, Star Musketeer Bismark and Mobile Suit Gundam 0083 Stardust Memory. The throaty, soulful timbre of her voice was uncharacteristic of Japanese vocalists of the 1980s (although it has become more commonplace today). MIQ has listed Aretha Franklin, Anita Baker, and Chaka Khan as influences on her vocal style. Her vocal delivery was a major reason she was signed to a contract with King Records. She is also fairly fluent in English as is evident by her English renditions of "Dunbine Tobu" and "Time for L-Gaim" and noted by fellow anime theme singer Ichirou Mizuki at ANIME JAPAN FES IN HK 2007 in Hong Kong.
Mikio Oyama (大山 三喜雄, Ōyama Mikio; born 29 October 1955) is a Japanese speed skater. He competed in two events at the…Mikio Oyama (大山 三喜雄, Ōyama Mikio; born 29 October 1955) is a Japanese speed skater. He competed in two events at the 1976 Winter Olympics.
Etsuko Shihomi (志穂美 悦子, Shihomi Etsuko), born October 29, 1955, in Okayama City, Japan, as Etsuko Shiomi (塩見 悦子, Shiomi…Etsuko Shihomi (志穂美 悦子, Shihomi Etsuko), born October 29, 1955, in Okayama City, Japan, as Etsuko Shiomi (塩見 悦子, Shiomi Etsuko), now known by her married name Etsuko Nagabuchi (長渕 悦子, Nagabuchi Etsuko), is a Japanese actress and martial artist who appeared in several Japanese martial arts films and samurai film and TV productions of the 1970s and 1980s.
Yuko Yamaguchi (山口 裕子, Yamaguchi Yūko; born October 24, 1955) is a Japanese character designer and illustrator. She is…Yuko Yamaguchi (山口 裕子, Yamaguchi Yūko; born October 24, 1955) is a Japanese character designer and illustrator. She is well known as the third character designer of Hello Kitty.
Setsuko Shinoda (篠田 節子, Shinoda Setsuko; born 1955) is a Japanese writer of the fiction genre. She has won the Shōsetsu…Setsuko Shinoda (篠田 節子, Shinoda Setsuko; born 1955) is a Japanese writer of the fiction genre. She has won the Shōsetsu Subaru Literary Prize for Newcomers, the Yamamoto Shūgorō Prize, the Naoki Prize, the Shibata Renzaburo Prize, a MEXT Award, and the Chuo Koron Literary Prize. Several of her works have been adapted for television.
Yasukazu Hamada (浜田 靖一, Hamada Yasukazu; born 21 October 1955) is a Japanese politician who served as the Minister of…Yasukazu Hamada (浜田 靖一, Hamada Yasukazu; born 21 October 1955) is a Japanese politician who served as the Minister of Defense of Japan from 2008 to 2009 and from 2022 to 2023. A member of the Liberal Democratic Party, he also serves in the House of Representatives, having taken office in 1993. In September 2008, under the Cabinet of Prime Minister Tarō Asō, Hamada was appointed Minister of Defense. This was Hamada's first Cabinet position. He was appointed to the same position under the Cabinet of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in 2022. His father, Kōichi Hamada, also served in the House of Representatives.
Akio Ishii (Japanese: 石井朗夫, Hepburn: Ishii Akio; born October 19, 1955), known professionally as LaSalle Ishii (ラサール石井…Akio Ishii (Japanese: 石井朗夫, Hepburn: Ishii Akio; born October 19, 1955), known professionally as LaSalle Ishii (ラサール石井, Rasāru Ishii), is a Japanese TV personality, actor, director, writer, columnist, and politician. He named himself after his high school Japanese La Salle Academy. His best-known anime role is Kankichi Ryotsu the lead character in Kochira Katsushika-ku Kameari Kōen-mae Hashutsujo which ran from 1999 to 2004 for 373 episodes. In 2025, he ran in the House of Councillors election in the proportional representation district as a member of the Social Democratic Party, winning a seat. On September 24 the same year, the managerial committee of SDP announced it approved his inauguration as its Vice-Chairman.
