Dan Itō (伊藤 壇, Itō Dan; born 3 November 1975) is a Japanese former professional football player. His last team was…Dan Itō (伊藤 壇, Itō Dan; born 3 November 1975) is a Japanese former professional football player. His last team was Rovers FC in Guam.
Fumikazu Takanami (高波 文一, Takanami Fumikazu; born November 3, 1975) is a Japanese former professional baseball…Fumikazu Takanami (高波 文一, Takanami Fumikazu; born November 3, 1975) is a Japanese former professional baseball outfielder, and current third squad outfield defense and base running coach for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). He played in NPB for the Hanshin Tigers, Seibu Lions, Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles, and Orix Buffaloes.
Katsutoshi Tsumagari (津曲 勝利; born November 2, 1975) is a volleyball player from Japan, who plays as a libero for the…Katsutoshi Tsumagari (津曲 勝利; born November 2, 1975) is a volleyball player from Japan, who plays as a libero for the Men's National Team. He was named Best Digger at the 2008 Olympic Qualification Tournament, where Japan ended up in second place and qualified for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, PR China.
Chiaki Kusuhara (楠原千秋, Kusuhara Chiaki; born 1 November 1975 in Matsuyama, Ehime) is a retired Japanese Olympic beach…Chiaki Kusuhara (楠原千秋, Kusuhara Chiaki; born 1 November 1975 in Matsuyama, Ehime) is a retired Japanese Olympic beach volleyballer. She competed at the 2008 Summer Olympics and was partnered with Mika Teru Saiki.
Takayuki Kobayashi (小林 鷹之, Kobayashi Takayuki; born 29 November 1974) is a Japanese politician who has served as…Takayuki Kobayashi (小林 鷹之, Kobayashi Takayuki; born 29 November 1974) is a Japanese politician who has served as Chairman of the Policy Research Council in the Liberal Democratic Party since October 2025. He served as Minister of State for Economic Security from 2021 to 2022.
Tarō Yamamoto (山本 太郎, Yamamoto Tarō; born 24 November 1974) is a Japanese politician and former actor, who is the…Tarō Yamamoto (山本 太郎, Yamamoto Tarō; born 24 November 1974) is a Japanese politician and former actor, who is the founder and former leader of the anti-establishment political party Reiwa Shinsengumi. Yamamoto served in the House of Councillors representing Tokyo until his resignation in 2026, and previously served in the House of Representatives from 2021 to 2022. He unsuccessfully ran in the 2020 Tokyo gubernatorial election as a candidate under Reiwa.
Tōru Kunishige (國重 徹, Kunishige Tōru; born 23 November 1974) is a Japanese politician of the Centrist Reform Alliance…Tōru Kunishige (國重 徹, Kunishige Tōru; born 23 November 1974) is a Japanese politician of the Centrist Reform Alliance, who serves as a member of the House of Representatives.
Junko Kawada (河田 純子, Kawada Junko) (born November 22, 1974, in Akita, Akita, Japan) is a former J-pop idol…Junko Kawada (河田 純子, Kawada Junko) (born November 22, 1974, in Akita, Akita, Japan) is a former J-pop idol, singer-songwriter and actress. Throughout her career, she released three albums and nine singles.
Masanobu Matsunami (松波 正信, Matsunami Masanobu; born November 21, 1974) is a former Japanese football player and manager…Masanobu Matsunami (松波 正信, Matsunami Masanobu; born November 21, 1974) is a former Japanese football player and manager and currently academy manager for Gamba Osaka.
Takahiro Nozaki (born 19 November 1974) is a Japanese speed skater. He competed in the men's 5000 metres event at the…Takahiro Nozaki (born 19 November 1974) is a Japanese speed skater. He competed in the men's 5000 metres event at the 1998 Winter Olympics.
Yvonne Kanazawa Scott (金沢 イボンヌ, Kanazawa Ibonnu; born 19 November 1974) is a retired Japanese athlete who specialised…Yvonne Kanazawa Scott (金沢 イボンヌ, Kanazawa Ibonnu; born 19 November 1974) is a retired Japanese athlete who specialised in the high hurdles. She represented her country at two consecutive Summer Olympics starting in 1996. She was born in Shinjuku, Tokyo to a Japanese mother and a Jamaican father. She grew up in Sacramento. She has personal bests of 13.00 seconds in the 100 metres hurdles (2000) and 8.12 seconds in the indoor 60 metres hurdles (1999). Both are current national records. She is married to Larry Wade, another former professional hurdler and she has two sons (Jordan and Brandon). She is the head coach for sprints, hurdles and relays for the UNLV Rebels at the University of Las Vegas.
Takashi Uto (born 10 November 1974) is a Japanese politician who served as a member of the House of Councillors from…Takashi Uto (born 10 November 1974) is a Japanese politician who served as a member of the House of Councillors from 2010 to 2022. He represented the National proportional representation block and was a member of the Liberal Democratic Party. He was a member of the following committees as of 2021: Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee on Fundamental National Policies He left the LDP in December 2025 and joined Sanseitō.
Hitoki Iwase (岩瀬 仁紀, born November 10, 1974) is a Japanese former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Nippon…Hitoki Iwase (岩瀬 仁紀, born November 10, 1974) is a Japanese former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) from 1999 to 2018 for the Chunichi Dragons. He holds the NPB record for career saves and mound appearances. In 2005, he marked 46 saves with a 1.88 ERA, renewing the single-season save record previously set by Kazuhiro Sasaki. This was subsequently broken by Dennis Sarfate of the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks in 2017. He was chosen to play on the Japanese Olympic baseball team for the 2004 Summer Olympics, and won a bronze medal. In the 2007 Japan Series, he saved a perfect game with eight innings thrown by Daisuke Yamai. In 2008, he was selected to play on the Japanese Olympic baseball team for the 2008 Summer Olympics. In group stage against South Korean Olympic baseball team, his pitch was hit by Kim Hyunsoo, which resulted in a loss. In the semifinal round against the South Korean team, his pitch was hit by Lee Seung-Yeop, leading to a two-run homerun. This again led to another loss. His overall performance in the 2008 Summer Olympics included three defeats and an ERA of 13.75. On 16 January 2025, Iwase was inducted into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame.
Maki Tabata (田畑 真紀, Tabata Maki; born 9 November 1974 in Mukawa, Hokkaido, Japan) is a Japanese speed skater and track…Maki Tabata (田畑 真紀, Tabata Maki; born 9 November 1974 in Mukawa, Hokkaido, Japan) is a Japanese speed skater and track cyclist. Maki Tabata won bronze at the World Allround Championships in 2000 and one month later, she won another bronze, this time on the 3000 m at the World Single Distance Championships. The next year (2001), she won silver on the 1500 m and bronze on the 5000 m at the World Single Distance Championships. In 2003, she won another World Single Distance silver on the 1500 m. In addition, Tabata has won numerous titles and medals at the Asian Championships that are used to qualify for the World Allround Championships, at the Asian Single Distance Championships, and at Japanese Championships (both in Allround and Single Distance). She also has a few World Cup victories, both in individual events and in the team pursuit. As a track cyclist she competed in four events at the 2012 UCI Track Cycling World Championships and won medals in four disciplines at the 2012 Asian Cycling Championships, including a gold medal in the individual pursuit.
Masashi Kishimoto (岸本 斉史, Kishimoto Masashi; born November 8, 1974) is a Japanese manga artist. His manga series…Masashi Kishimoto (岸本 斉史, Kishimoto Masashi; born November 8, 1974) is a Japanese manga artist. His manga series, Naruto, which was in serialization from 1999 to 2014, has sold over 250 million copies worldwide in 46 countries as of May 2019. The series has been adapted into two anime and multiple films, video games, and related media. Besides the Naruto manga, Kishimoto also personally supervised the three anime films, Road to Ninja: Naruto the Movie, The Last: Naruto the Movie and Boruto: Naruto the Movie, and has written several one-shot stories. In 2019, Kishimoto wrote Samurai 8: The Tale of Hachimaru which ended in March 2020. From May 2016 through October 2020 he supervised the Boruto: Naruto Next Generations manga written by Ukyō Kodachi and illustrated by Mikio Ikemoto. In November 2020 it was announced that he had taken over as writer on the series, replacing Kodachi. A reader of manga from a young age, Kishimoto showed a desire to write his own manga, citing authors Akira Toriyama and Katsuhiro Otomo as his main influences. As a result, Kishimoto spent several years working to write his own shōnen manga for Weekly Shōnen Jump magazine which he was a fan of.
Hirofumi Yanagase is a Japanese politician who is a former member of the House of Councillors of Japan. He was a…Hirofumi Yanagase is a Japanese politician who is a former member of the House of Councillors of Japan. He was a representative member of the national proportional representation block.
Seishi Kishimoto (Japanese: 岸本 聖史, Hepburn: Kishimoto Seishi; born November 8, 1974) is a Japanese manga artist. He is…Seishi Kishimoto (Japanese: 岸本 聖史, Hepburn: Kishimoto Seishi; born November 8, 1974) is a Japanese manga artist. He is best known for O-Parts Hunter, which was serialized in Monthly Shōnen Gangan from 2001 to 2007. He has since completed four more manga series, Blazer Drive (2008–2011), Kurenai no Ōkami to Ashikase no Hitsuji (2011–2013), Sukedachi 09 (2014–2016), and Mad Chimera World (2017–2019).
Daisuke Tsutsumi (堤 大介, Tsutsumi Daisuke) is a Japanese animator and illustrator living in San Francisco, California.…Daisuke Tsutsumi (堤 大介, Tsutsumi Daisuke) is a Japanese animator and illustrator living in San Francisco, California. He is a former designer of Blue Sky Studios and Pixar, took within fourteen years before he co-founded an independent animation studio Tonko House with Robert Kondo. He co-directed The Dam Keeper with Kondo, which were nominated the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film.
Sōichirō Takashima (高島 宗一郎, Takashima Sōichirō) is a Japanese politician who has been mayor of the city of Fukuoka…Sōichirō Takashima (高島 宗一郎, Takashima Sōichirō) is a Japanese politician who has been mayor of the city of Fukuoka since 2010.
Toshio Tasaki is a male former international table tennis player from Japan. He won a bronze medal at the 2000 World…Toshio Tasaki is a male former international table tennis player from Japan. He won a bronze medal at the 2000 World Team Table Tennis Championships in the Swaythling Cup (men's team event) with Seiko Iseki, Kōji Matsushita, Hiroshi Shibutani and Ryo Yuzawa for Japan. He competed in three Olympic Games in 1996, 2000 and 2004. He plays a traditional penhold style (utilizing only 1 face of the blade) with short pips and is known for his frequent and strong backhand attacks.
Sō Tsutsui (筒井 壮, Tsutsui Sō; born November 1, 1974) is a former professional baseball player from Ibaraki, Osaka…Sō Tsutsui (筒井 壮, Tsutsui Sō; born November 1, 1974) is a former professional baseball player from Ibaraki, Osaka, Japan.
Kazunari Murakami (村上 一成, Murakami Kazunari; ring name: 村上 和成) (born November 29, 1973) is a Japanese professional…Kazunari Murakami (村上 一成, Murakami Kazunari; ring name: 村上 和成) (born November 29, 1973) is a Japanese professional wrestler and retired mixed martial artist currently working for Pro Wrestling Noah. Murakami is best known for his work in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) during the late 1990s and early 2000s, where he primarily competed as a member of the villainous Makai Club stable. Aside from pro wrestling, Murakami was also part of the first fight in PRIDE history, defeating John Dixson by submission in 1997. After leaving NJPW in the fall of 2004, Murakami subsequently competed for Pro Wrestling ZERO1-MAX (ZERO1-MAX) and Big Mouth LOUD, of which he was a founding member. Murakami has also made sporadic appearances in Dramatic Dream Team (DDT), Pro Wrestling Noah (Noah) and Chō Sentō Puroresu FMW (FMW).
Kunihiro Nasu (奈須 國広, Nasu Kunihiro; born 28 November 1973), is a Japanese video game developer, and writer. Nasu began…Kunihiro Nasu (奈須 國広, Nasu Kunihiro; born 28 November 1973), is a Japanese video game developer, and writer. Nasu began creating visual novels while in college, making a few small games, visual novels, and pieces of written fiction, before rising to prominence in 2000 with the release of Tsukihime. He went on to work on Fate/stay night in 2004, which quickly became a commercial success and spawned the Fate media franchise. Type-Moon released an adult visual novel spin-off called Fate/hollow ataraxia in October 2005, that expanded on the events of Fate/stay night. Nasu co-founded the Japanese company Type-Moon, where he designed games including Tsukihime and Fate/stay night. The company specializes in production of various media, including video games, anime, and manga.
Jin Katagiri (片桐 仁, Katagiri Jin; born November 27, 1973) is a comedian, actor, sculptor, and potter from Saitama…Jin Katagiri (片桐 仁, Katagiri Jin; born November 27, 1973) is a comedian, actor, sculptor, and potter from Saitama Prefecture, Japan. He graduated from Kasukabe High School and Tama Art University. Outside Japan, he is most well known for playing the PC (opposite Kentarō Kobayashi who plays the Mac) in the "Get A Mac" advertising campaign in Japan. He is a member of the Rahmens owarai comedy duo.
Gota Nishidera (西寺 郷太, Nishidera Gōta; born 27 November 1973, in Chiyoda, Tokyo) is a Japanese musician and music…Gota Nishidera (西寺 郷太, Nishidera Gōta; born 27 November 1973, in Chiyoda, Tokyo) is a Japanese musician and music producer. Nishidera is the singer and main songwriter of the band Nona Reeves, and also acts as a songwriter/composer, arranger, music producer, novelist, writer, MC for the band. He is president of Gotown Records. Nishidera was raised in Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture. He graduated from Kyoto Seihi High School and Waseda University Second Literature Department (Western Culture Seminar) in March 1996.
Tadanobu Satō (佐藤 忠信, Satō Tadanobu; born November 27, 1973), better known by his stage name Tadanobu Asano (浅野 忠信…Tadanobu Satō (佐藤 忠信, Satō Tadanobu; born November 27, 1973), better known by his stage name Tadanobu Asano (浅野 忠信, Asano Tadanobu), is a Japanese actor, director, and musician, who has had an extensive career working in both Japanese and international cinema. He has been nominated for five Japan Academy Film Prizes, twice for Best Actor and three times for Best Supporting Actor, and is a winner of its Most Popular Performer award. Among his best-known roles are in Hirokazu Kore-eda's Maboroshi no Hikari (1995) and Distance (2001), Hyozo Tashiro in Gohatto (1999), Kakihara in Ichi the Killer (2001), Hattori Genosuke in Zatoichi (2003), Kenji in Last Life in the Universe (also 2003), and Temujin in Mongol (2007). He has also appeared in Hollywood films, notably as Hogun in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Lord Kira Yoshinaka in 47 Ronin (2013), the Interpreter in Silence (2016), Rear Admiral Tamon Yamaguchi in Midway (2019), and Raiden in Mortal Kombat (2021), based on the fighting video game of the same name. He gained additional recognition in 2024 for his portrayal of Lord Kashigi Yabushige on the American television series Shōgun, based on the James Clavell novel, for which he won the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actor – Series, Miniseries or Television Film. Asano has worked with some of the most prominent and acclaimed directors in Japanese cinema, including Hirokazu Kore-eda, Takeshi Kitano, Nagisa Ōshima, Takashi Miike, Nobuhiko Obayashi and Kiyoshi Kurosawa, along with international directors Martin Scorsese, Kenneth Branagh, Wong Kar-wai, Roland Emmerich, Pen-ek Ratanaruang and Sergei Bodrov. Among other accolades, he has twice won the Best Actor Award at the Yokohama Film Festival, the Upstream Prize for Best Actor at the Venice Film Festival, and the Best Actor Award at the Moscow International Film Festival.
Yasuyuki Maekawa (前川 泰之, Maekawa Yasuyuki; born 26 November 1973) is a Japanese actor and former model. He was born in…Yasuyuki Maekawa (前川 泰之, Maekawa Yasuyuki; born 26 November 1973) is a Japanese actor and former model. He was born in Adachi, Tokyo, and grew up in Saitama Prefecture. He is represented with the agency Oscar Promotion. He graduated from Meiji Gakuin Senior High School and Aoyama Gakuin University Law school. His wife is former Fuji Television announcer Maya Masai.
Nagi Noda (野田 凪, Noda Nagi; November 18, 1973 – September 7, 2008) was a Japanese pop artist and art director born in…Nagi Noda (野田 凪, Noda Nagi; November 18, 1973 – September 7, 2008) was a Japanese pop artist and art director born in Tokyo. Noda spent much of her career working as a freelance art director. She directed multiple campaigns for brands such as Nike, Laforet, and Panasonic. In addition to her commercial works, she also was a prolific artist, taking on various solo projects. Such projects include: her half-panda sculptures, Hanpanda; a collaboration clothing brand with American artist Mark Ryden, Broken Label; and her unique hair hats. She held multiple solo exhibits throughout her career, and a post-humous exhibit was held to commemorate her work in 2011, a testament to her legacy and reputation as a designer. Noda's works are defined by artificiality and surreality, balancing between visual art and commercial relations with a high degree of creativity and non-conformity in their aesthetic and narration. She founded the design firm "Uchuu Country," where Japanese art director Yuni Yoshida also worked until starting her own agency in 2007. Noda began her career directing advertising campaigns for Harajuku's Laforet shopping mall. Among her most well-known advertising works are the short film Mariko Takahashi's Fitness Video for Being Appraised as an "Ex-fat Girl", the half-panda-half-something-else Hanpanda life-sized figures, and the video for Japanese singer Yuki's song "Sentimental Journey". She paired up with Yuki again in 2005 to direct the opening song for the anime Honey & Clover, which was her only participation in a standard narrative work. Other works include a television advertisement for Coca-Cola (with music by Jack White), a collaboration with Medicom Toy to produce original Nagi Noda Be@rbricks, a video for the Scissor Sisters song "She's My Man", and the video for "Hearts On Fire" by Cut Copy, which was the last music video she made. Per her biography in Women in Graphic Design, "The Works of Nagi Noda often make a disconcerting impression, with an aesthetic ranging from surreal to bizarre to poetic." Noda cited her unusual upbringing as having a large influence on her work. In a 2003 interview, she recalled how her parents would take her to look for UFOs or make her watch TV in black and white so she could learn to imagine color. Noda died on September 7, 2008, at age 34, after surgical complications from injuries sustained in a traffic accident the previous year.
Yoshinori Ueda (上田 佳範, Ueda Yoshinori; born November 18, 1973 in Matsumoto, Nagano, Japan) is a former professional…Yoshinori Ueda (上田 佳範, Ueda Yoshinori; born November 18, 1973 in Matsumoto, Nagano, Japan) is a former professional Japanese baseball player.
Daisuke Tsuda (津田 大介, Tsuda Daisuke; born November 15, 1973), is a Japanese YouTuber, political activist, social…Daisuke Tsuda (津田 大介, Tsuda Daisuke; born November 15, 1973), is a Japanese YouTuber, political activist, social activist and writer originally from Kita, Tokyo. He graduated from the Social Sciences Department of Waseda University. He launched the YouTube channel "POLITAS TV (ポリタスTV)" in 2020 and became a political opinion YouTuber.
Beauty Kokubu (ビューティーこくぶ, Byūtī Kokubu; born 12 November 1973 in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan) is a Japanese impressionist…Beauty Kokubu (ビューティーこくぶ, Byūtī Kokubu; born 12 November 1973 in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan) is a Japanese impressionist (monomane tarento). His real name is Hideyuki Kokubu (国分 秀之, Kokubu Hideyuki). Kokubu is represented with Big World.
Shin Miura (三浦 審, Miura Shin; born November 11, 1973, in Kesennuma, Miyagi, Japan), better known as Shinji Maggy (マギー…Shin Miura (三浦 審, Miura Shin; born November 11, 1973, in Kesennuma, Miyagi, Japan), better known as Shinji Maggy (マギー 審司, Magī Shinji), is a Japanese comedian and magician. Maggy learned from magician Shiro Maggy. He is the second of three brothers.
Takumi Nakayama (Japanese: 中山巧, Nakayama Takumi; born 11 November 1973) is a Japanese mixed martial artist and former…Takumi Nakayama (Japanese: 中山巧, Nakayama Takumi; born 11 November 1973) is a Japanese mixed martial artist and former King of Pancrase Featherweight Champion. He is also the former King of the Cage Lightweight Champion. "Takumi"(タクミ, all katakana) ring name of Nakayama in Japan.
Takahiro Yoshikawa (吉川 隆弘, Yoshikawa Takahiro) is a Japanese classical pianist. He is a regular piano soloist at La…Takahiro Yoshikawa (吉川 隆弘, Yoshikawa Takahiro) is a Japanese classical pianist. He is a regular piano soloist at La Scala, Italy's leading opera house.
Tokitsuumi Masahiro (born November 8, 1973, as Masahiro Sakamoto) is a former professional sumo wrestler from Fukue…Tokitsuumi Masahiro (born November 8, 1973, as Masahiro Sakamoto) is a former professional sumo wrestler from Fukue, Nagasaki, Japan. A former amateur sumo champion, he turned professional in 1996. His highest rank was maegashira 3. He became the head coach of Tokitsukaze stable in 2007 following the dismissal of the previous stablemaster. He was asked to retire by the Japan Sumo Association in February 2021 for violating COVID-19 safety protocols.
Shigeyuki Totsugi (戸次 重幸, Totsugi Shigeyuki; born November 7, 1973) is a Japanese actor, TV personality, voice actor…Shigeyuki Totsugi (戸次 重幸, Totsugi Shigeyuki; born November 7, 1973) is a Japanese actor, TV personality, voice actor, screenwriter, theatre director, and singer. His real name and former stage name is Shigeyuki Sato (佐藤 重幸, Sato Shigeyuki). He was born in Teine-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido. He is a member of the TEAM NACS. He graduated from Hokkaido Sapporo Teine High School and, Hokkai Gakuen University. His wife is actress Yui Ichikawa.
Rumi Shishido (宍戸 留美, Shishido Rumi; born November 6, 1973) is a Japanese singer and voice actress from Fukuoka…Rumi Shishido (宍戸 留美, Shishido Rumi; born November 6, 1973) is a Japanese singer and voice actress from Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan. Shishido debuted as an idol singer with Sony Records in 1990 with the single "Cosmic Rendezvous." In 1992, she left her management and began releasing music independently. Around the same time Shishido left her management, she also debuted as a voice actress, with her breakthrough role being Mikako Koda from Neighborhood Story. Other notable roles she has played include Onpu Segawa from Ojamajo Doremi, Rosemary Applefield from Ashita no Nadja, Viper from Reborn!, M.O.M.O. from the Xenosaga series, Diana and Luna from the Jewelpet series, and June Amou from Pretty Rhythm: Rainbow Live and King of Prism.
Yusaku Ueno (上野 優作, Ueno Yusaku; born November 1, 1973) is a former Japanese football player. He was most recently…Yusaku Ueno (上野 優作, Ueno Yusaku; born November 1, 1973) is a former Japanese football player. He was most recently manager of J3 League club FC Gifu.
Ryōhei Mori (森 良平, born November 1973) is a Japanese scientist, inventor, and entrepreneur. He is the CEO of Green…Ryōhei Mori (森 良平, born November 1973) is a Japanese scientist, inventor, and entrepreneur. He is the CEO of Green Science Alliance Co., Ltd. and Fuji Pigment Co., Ltd., and serves as President of Quantum Materials Technology and e-Gle Tech Co., Ltd. Mori is known for his work in eco-friendly green technologies, including aluminium-based rechargeable batteries, recycled lithium-ion batteries derived from black mass, carbon dioxide (CO₂) conversion methods, quantum dots, metal–organic frameworks, deep eutectic solvents, solid acid catalysts, and petroleum-free biodegradable plastics and plant biomass-based materials.
Hirofumi Shii (四位洋文; born November 30, 1972) is a former jockey and current Japanese racehorse trainer affiliated with…Hirofumi Shii (四位洋文; born November 30, 1972) is a former jockey and current Japanese racehorse trainer affiliated with the Ritto Training Center of the Japan Racing Association (JRA). He is the nephew of former jockey Michinori Shii.
Minoru Tanaka (田中稔, Tanaka Minoru; born November 29, 1972), also known by the ring names Heat (ヒート, Hīto) and the…Minoru Tanaka (田中稔, Tanaka Minoru; born November 29, 1972), also known by the ring names Heat (ヒート, Hīto) and the mononymous Minoru (稔, Minoru), is a Japanese professional wrestler, shoot wrestler and mixed martial artist. He is currently signed to Gleat, predominantly performing in its G Prowrestling and Lidet UWF divisions; he also serves as Gleat's UWF Rules Technical Officer. Known as "The Special One", Tanaka first gained prominence in Pro Wrestling Fujiwara Gumi (PWFG) and Fighting Investigation Team Battlarts (Battlarts) before moving on to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), where he became a four time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion, a five time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion and the winner of the 2006 Best of the Super Juniors tournament. After leaving NJPW, he joined All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW), where he found continued success in the junior heavyweight and tag team ranks upon winning the World Junior Heavyweight Championship once and the All Asia Tag Team Championship twice. From 2013 to 2016, Tanaka worked for Wrestle-1. He also performed for Pro Wrestling Noah (Noah), where he held the GHC Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship twice and is a former GHC Junior Heavyweight Champion, making him the second man (after Naomichi Marufuji) to hold all three major Japanese junior heavyweight singles titles as well as the only man to hold all five major junior heavyweight titles in Japan (counting the aforementioned tag team prizes).
