Takahiro Nishikawa (西川隆宏, Nishikawa Takahiro; born 26 May 1964) is a Japanese keyboardist, music producer, and…
Takahiro Nishikawa (西川隆宏, Nishikawa Takahiro; born 26 May 1964) is a Japanese keyboardist, music producer, and businessman. He was a member of Dreams Come True from 1988 to 2002. While with the band, they released eleven studio albums and thirty-three singles. Nine of those albums and ten of the singles debuted at #1 on the Oricon charts. While Nishikawa was a member of the band, Dreams Come True won two The Television Drama Academy Awards for theme songs, once in 1995 and again in 1999. After he left the band, he was arrested and convicted twice for possession of illegal stimulants, once in October 2002 and again in February 2006. He opened a bar in Sapporo in 2009, where he regularly holds events themed around his former band, including after-concert parties. Nishikawa is also known by the nickname Nihya (ニーヒャ, Nīhya). His younger sister, Ayumi Nishikawa (西川歩, Nishikawa Ayumi), is a model.
Famous People from Hokkaido
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Kazuhiro Fujita (藤田 和日郎, Fujita Kazuhiro; born May 24, 1964, in Asahikawa, Hokkaidō, Japan) is a Japanese manga artist.…
Kazuhiro Fujita (藤田 和日郎, Fujita Kazuhiro; born May 24, 1964, in Asahikawa, Hokkaidō, Japan) is a Japanese manga artist. He graduated from Nihon University. Fujita made his professional manga debut in Weekly Shōnen Sunday in 1989. He is known for his manga series Ushio & Tora and Karakuri Circus. For Ushio & Tora, Fujita won the Shogakukan Manga Award in the shōnen category in 1992 and the Seiun Award in 1997.
Hikaru Kotobuki (ことぶき 光, Kotobuki Hikaru; born 1964) is a Japanese musician known for his work with Susumu Hirasawa…
Hikaru Kotobuki (ことぶき 光, Kotobuki Hikaru; born 1964) is a Japanese musician known for his work with Susumu Hirasawa (P-Model), and Jun Togawa. In the early 1980s, Kotobuki joined Morio Agata's tour as a keyboard player and guitarist. After Agata's tour, Kotobuki and Agata formed a band which they called the Yukiyama Brothers. During his time with the Yukiyama Brothers, he played the keyboard on Shigeru Izumiya's tour. Kotobuki joined the band P-Model in 1987, which was formed by Susumu Hirasawa. In his time with P-Model, he played the keyboard as well. Hikaru Kotobuki played many concerts and released music videos with P-Model. Unfortunately recordings from this time only survive as live video sound sources. The band took a four-year break, but came back together in 1991 under the name Thaw P-Model. Kotobuki resigned in 1993 in order to travel through Asia, which he eventually did for several years. Returning briefly from Cambodia in late 1993 he formed Phnonpenh MODEL, in order to join the Errors of P-Mania cover band contest - a contest for P-Model cover bands held for three years. Originally formed as a joke, the band has continued sporadically to this day and have released three studio albums and live CDs from their shows in Paris, Berlin and Tokyo. Key members are Hikaru Kotobuki, Lion Merry (ex-Yapoos and Metrofarce) and Masaaki Taniguchi. He also performs as a solo act with a backing band. In 2016 Kotobuki was involved in a memorial concert for Isao Tomita, where a live orchestra was blended with the synthetic performer Hatsune Miku to perform Tomita's work. Kotobuki had previously worked with Tomita on his 2012 Ihatov Symphony, which was the work performed at the memorial concert.
Masaki Yamada (山田 雅樹, Yamada Masaki; born 1964) is a Japanese singer, guitarist and bassist known for being the…
Masaki Yamada (山田 雅樹, Yamada Masaki; born 1964) is a Japanese singer, guitarist and bassist known for being the frontman of EZO from 1986 to 1991 and Loudness from 1992 to 2000. He currently plays bass and sings duet and backing vocals, with occasional guitar in the New York City-based band FiRESiGN. He was vocally trained by Donald Lawrence, and moved to New York City in 1986. He has a daughter, born in 1992.
Kazushige Nojima (野島 一成, Nojima Kazushige; born January 20, 1964) is a Japanese video game writer. He is best known for…
Kazushige Nojima (野島 一成, Nojima Kazushige; born January 20, 1964) is a Japanese video game writer. He is best known for writing several installments of Square Enix's Final Fantasy franchise—namely Final Fantasy VII and its spin-offs Advent Children and Crisis Core, Final Fantasy VIII, and Final Fantasy X and X-2—in addition to the Kingdom Hearts series, the Glory of Heracles series, and the story to the Subspace Emissary mode in Super Smash Bros. Brawl. Nojima also wrote the original lyrics of "Liberi Fatali" for Final Fantasy VIII and both "Suteki da Ne" and the "Hymn of the Fayth" for Final Fantasy X, as well as "No Promises to Keep" for Final Fantasy VII Rebirth. He is also the founder of Stellavista Ltd.
Kaori Moriyama (森山 かおり, Moriyama Kaori; née Hachinohe Hachinohe (八戸); born 4 January 1964) is a retired Japanese judo…
Kaori Moriyama (森山 かおり, Moriyama Kaori; née Hachinohe Hachinohe (八戸); born 4 January 1964) is a retired Japanese judo wrestler. Moriyama is from Hakodate, Hokkaidō and began judo at the age of a junior high school second grader. When she was a student of Tokai University, she studied under former world champion, Nobuyuki Sato and got bronze medal of World Championships in 1984. In the next year, she won the gold medal at Asian Championships, All-Japan Selected Championships, Kodokan Cup and All-Japan University Championships with her specialty techniques, Osotogari and Newaza. She retired and became a teacher of the senior high school in Hokkaidō after graduation at a university in 1986. As of 2010, Moriyama coaches judo at high school in Kanagawa Prefecture.
Luna H. Mitani (born December 22, 1963, in Kushiro, Hokkaido, Japan) is a Japanese-American artist. He works in the…
Luna H. Mitani (born December 22, 1963, in Kushiro, Hokkaido, Japan) is a Japanese-American artist. He works in the fields of painting and pen & ink drawing. After traveling through more than 33 countries in Europe including England and Ireland, Mitani began his fine art training in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Afterward, he continued traveling around the world for sketching. After completing the training, he became interested in commercial art, and moved to the US to study commercial art, while beginning his career as a professional artist for the publishers and entertainment industry. He was soon called upon to design and create LP-record, music tape and CD covers for artists such as George Benson, The Platters, Dizzy Gillespie, John Coltrane, Thad Jones, Yardbird, Chet Baker, Wayne Henderson, Dan Moretti, Coale Johnson, The Highland Project, Rue Davis, Bobby Warren, and more. His CD cover works led him to work on designing posters, magazine covers, and comprehensive packaging design. Mitani has been featured in several exhibitions in Los Angeles, California. After that, he has received a great deal of attention in Japan for his American works and was appointed Head Advisor for the Yoyogi Animation School, the largest animation school in Japan. Mitani has been featured many times in magazines, newspapers and on television in Europe, the United States, and Japan. He resides in Hollywood, California.
The Go-Bang's were a three-piece Japanese all-female band active in the late 1980s and early 1990s. They broke up in…
The Go-Bang's were a three-piece Japanese all-female band active in the late 1980s and early 1990s. They broke up in 1994, and since then, Kaori Moriwaka (singer/songwriter) has become a solo singer/songwriter/producer/actress, while Mitsuko Saito (drums) and Misa Tanishima (bass guitar) have dropped beneath the radar, though apparently Saito has been seen drumming for a few other bands, fashion-modeling and played a drummer as an extra in the music video of J-pop singer Namie Amuro's Please Smile Again. Initially a four-piece band, Go-Bang's lost their guitarist early on, becoming popular after she left the band. At the peak of their career, the album "Greatest Venus" went straight to the top of Oricon's Japanese album chart and stayed there for two consecutive weeks. They had a somewhat unusual sound, being a punk-influenced bubblegum pop band, and lacking a lead guitarist — though this wasn't always the case — on the album Samantha, for example, the Go-Bang's worked with the King Gangs, a three-piece all-male band, who complemented their line up with the addition of electric guitars and keyboard. The album Samantha was mixed down by Michael Haas, who was a recording engineer for British techno/house band 808 State, at Revolution Studios in Manchester, England. Also, the album's title song "Samansa" was reproduced as an English language song and remixed by John Waddel from Rhythm King Productions, who produced British pop singer/rap artist Betty Boo. This remix version of the song was released as one of the songs on their remix mini album "Darrin." Making cheerful, bouncy music, with a slight punk edge, the Go-Bang's made an impact on the Japanese charts for a short while, but gradually faded into the background, and disappeared almost completely from the public conscious following their breakup. However, some bands, such as the Titan Go-Kings, have referred to them as influences on their music.
Mori Kanda (神田森莉, Kanda Mori, born December 3, 1963) is a Japanese musician and manga artist known for his horror manga…
Mori Kanda (神田森莉, Kanda Mori, born December 3, 1963) is a Japanese musician and manga artist known for his horror manga that mix splatter and comedy horror.
Satoshi Kon (今 敏, Kon Satoshi; October 12, 1963 – August 24, 2010) was a Japanese film director, animator, screenwriter…
Satoshi Kon (今 敏, Kon Satoshi; October 12, 1963 – August 24, 2010) was a Japanese film director, animator, screenwriter and manga artist from Sapporo, Hokkaido, and a member of the Japanese Animation Creators Association (JAniCA). He was a graduate of the Graphic Design department of the Musashino Art University. He is best known for his acclaimed anime films Perfect Blue (1997), Millennium Actress (2001), Tokyo Godfathers (2003), and Paprika (2006), and the TV series Paranoia Agent (2004). In 2010, Kon died of pancreatic cancer at age 46.
Katsuya Ogawa (小川 勝也, Ogawa Katsuya; born 7 July 1963) is a former Japanese politician of the Democratic Party of…
Katsuya Ogawa (小川 勝也, Ogawa Katsuya; born 7 July 1963) is a former Japanese politician of the Democratic Party of Japan, a member of the House of Councillors in the Diet (national legislature). A native of Kamikawa, Hokkaidō and graduate of Nihon University, he was elected to the House of Councillors for the first time in 1995 as a member of the New Frontier Party.
Hokutoumi Nobuyoshi (Japanese: 北勝海 信芳; born June 22, 1963 as Nobuyoshi Hoshi (保志 信芳)) is a Japanese former professional…
Hokutoumi Nobuyoshi (Japanese: 北勝海 信芳; born June 22, 1963 as Nobuyoshi Hoshi (保志 信芳)) is a Japanese former professional sumo wrestler from Hokkaidō. He was the sport's 61st yokozuna and won eight top division championships. He wrestled for Kokonoe stable. In 1989 he and Chiyonofuji were the first yokozuna stablemates to take part in a play-off for the championship. After a number of injury problems he retired in 1992, and is now the head coach of Hakkaku stable. In November 2015 he was appointed chairman of the Japan Sumo Association, following the death of Kitanoumi, initially to serve until the end of March 2016. He was then elected as head for a full term by his fellow board members in a vote held in March 2016. He was reappointed to a full term as chairman five times, most recently in 2026.
Hiroo Shima (嶋 宏大, Shima Hiroo; born 10 March 1963) is a Japanese former ski jumper. He competed in the Sarajevo Winter…
Hiroo Shima (嶋 宏大, Shima Hiroo; born 10 March 1963) is a Japanese former ski jumper. He competed in the Sarajevo Winter Olympics at the age of 20.
Koji Aihara (相原 コージ, Aihara Kōji) is a Japanese manga artist from Hokkaido. Aihara grew up reading the works of Osamu…
Koji Aihara (相原 コージ, Aihara Kōji) is a Japanese manga artist from Hokkaido. Aihara grew up reading the works of Osamu Tezuka. He made his debut with Hachigatsu no Nureta Pantsu in 1983, which ran in Weekly Manga Action Magazine. He is one of the authors of Even a Monkey Can Draw Manga, a satiric look at the manga industry. Aihara's other best-known works include Bunka Jinrui Gag, Koojien, Mujina and Manka. Manka has been described as being similar to tanka in that it shows the breadth of human emotion within the short space of a yonkoma. He has also drawn a yonkoma parody of a Japanese dictionary. His work has been described as breaking new ground for themes in comedic manga, and as showing "meticulous detail". He also designed the characters for the RPG video games Maka Maka and Idea no Hi (scenario and character design draft).
Katsushi Tao (田尾 克史, Tao Katsushi; born 1 May 1963) is a Japanese ski jumper. He competed in the normal hill and large…
Katsushi Tao (田尾 克史, Tao Katsushi; born 1 May 1963) is a Japanese ski jumper. He competed in the normal hill and large hill events at the 1988 Winter Olympics.
Natsuhiko Kyogoku (京極 夏彦, Kyōgoku Natsuhiko; born March 26, 1963) is a Japanese mystery writer, who is a member of…
Natsuhiko Kyogoku (京極 夏彦, Kyōgoku Natsuhiko; born March 26, 1963) is a Japanese mystery writer, who is a member of Ōsawa Office. He is a member of the Mystery Writers of Japan and the Honkaku Mystery Writers Club of Japan. Three of his novels have been turned into feature films; Mōryō no Hako, which won the 1996 Mystery Writers of Japan Award, was also made into an anime television series, as was Kosetsu Hyaku Monogatari, and his book Loups=Garous was adapted into an anime feature film. Vertical have published his debut novel as The Summer of the Ubume.
Kimihiro Hamaya (浜谷 公宏, Hamaya Kimihiro; born 21 March 1963) is a Japanese speed skater. He competed at the 1984 Winter…
Kimihiro Hamaya (浜谷 公宏, Hamaya Kimihiro; born 21 March 1963) is a Japanese speed skater. He competed at the 1984 Winter Olympics and the 1988 Winter Olympics.
Reona Hirota (広田レオナ, Hirota Reona) is a Japanese actress. She won the Award for Best Supporting Actress at the 13th…
Reona Hirota (広田レオナ, Hirota Reona) is a Japanese actress. She won the Award for Best Supporting Actress at the 13th Yokohama Film Festival for Ōte and Yumeji. In 1994, she married the actor Mitsuru Fukikoshi. They divorced in 2005 after having one child.
Hitoshi Sugai (須貝 等, Sugai Hitoshi; born December 29, 1962 in Furubira, Hokkaidō) is a Japanese judoka.
Ōnokuni Yasushi (Japanese: 大乃国 康; born October 9, 1962 as Yasushi Aoki (青木 康)) is a Japanese former professional sumo…
Ōnokuni Yasushi (Japanese: 大乃国 康; born October 9, 1962 as Yasushi Aoki (青木 康)) is a Japanese former professional sumo wrestler from Hokkaidō. Making his professional debut in 1978, he reached the top division in 1983. In 1987 he won his first yūshō or tournament championship with a perfect record and became the sport's 62nd yokozuna. However, he was only able to win one more championship before his retirement in 1991. He has remained in sumo as a coach and in 1999 became the head of Shibatayama stable. He was elected to the Japan Sumo Association's board of directors in 2018.
Jōji Yamamoto (Japanese: 山本 譲司, Hepburn: Yamamoto Jōji; born 20 September 1962) is a Japanese politician, journalist…
Jōji Yamamoto (Japanese: 山本 譲司, Hepburn: Yamamoto Jōji; born 20 September 1962) is a Japanese politician, journalist and care worker who is the leader of the anti-establishment political party Party of Life (formerly named Reiwa Shinsengumi). He is a member of the House of Representatives and a former member of the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly. As a social activist, he serves as a director of the rehabilitation and protection corporation "Doho-kai," a steering committee member of the "Life Reconstruction Counseling Center" of the Prisoner Support Organization, and a director of the Tokyo Rehabilitation and Protection Employment Support Providers Organization. After his election in the 2026 general election, he was appointed secretary general of Reiwa Shinsengumi. On 31 July 2026, Yamamoto was elected leader of Reiwa Shinsengumi following the resignation of Taro Yamamoto (no relation).
Yoshihiro Kitazawa (北沢 欣浩, Kitazawa Yoshihiro; born 4 August 1962) is a Japanese speed skater who competed in the 1984…
Yoshihiro Kitazawa (北沢 欣浩, Kitazawa Yoshihiro; born 4 August 1962) is a Japanese speed skater who competed in the 1984 Winter Olympics. He was born in Kushiro, Hokkaidō. In 1984 he won the silver medal in the 500 metres event. In the 1000 metres competition he finished 31st.
Masashi Mito (水戸 将史, Mito Masashi; born July 28, 1962) is a former Japanese politician of the Democratic Party of…
Masashi Mito (水戸 将史, Mito Masashi; born July 28, 1962) is a former Japanese politician of the Democratic Party of Japan, and a former member of the House of Councillors in the Diet (national legislature). A native of Tomamae District, Hokkaidō and 1985 graduate of Keio University, he was elected to the House of Councillors for the first time in 2007 after serving in the assembly of Kanagawa Prefecture for three terms from 1995 until 2007.
Mitsuharu Misawa (三沢 光晴, Misawa Mitsuharu; born Mitsuharu Kotake (小竹 光晴), June 18, 1962 – June 13, 2009) was a Japanese…
Mitsuharu Misawa (三沢 光晴, Misawa Mitsuharu; born Mitsuharu Kotake (小竹 光晴), June 18, 1962 – June 13, 2009) was a Japanese professional wrestler and promoter. He spent most of his career with All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW), where he became the promotion's leading wrestler during the 1990s, before founding Pro Wrestling Noah in 2000. Misawa was one of AJPW's Four Heavenly Kings (プロレスの四天王, Puroresu no shiten'nō), alongside Toshiaki Kawada, Kenta Kobashi, and Akira Taue; their matches became closely associated with AJPW's ōdō, or King's Road, style. Misawa debuted for AJPW in 1981 and wrestled as the second Tiger Mask from 1984 until unmasking in 1990. His victory over Jumbo Tsuruta that June established him as a rising main-event wrestler, and after Tsuruta's career was curtailed by illness, Misawa became AJPW's principal star. He won the Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship five times; his first reign, from 1992 to 1994, lasted 705 days, the longest in the championship's history. His rivalry with Kawada produced their June 3, 1994 match, which has been cited as one of the greatest professional wrestling matches of all time and became especially influential among overseas fans through tape trading. After Giant Baba died in 1999, Misawa became president of AJPW, but conflicts with Baba's widow and majority shareholder Motoko Baba led to his removal from the position in May 2000. He then led most of AJPW's native roster out of the company and founded Pro Wrestling Noah, serving as its president and one of its leading wrestlers. Misawa became the inaugural GHC Heavyweight Champion and held the title three times. As Noah's business declined in the later 2000s, he continued wrestling a full schedule despite accumulating injuries and worked to establish younger wrestlers as the promotion's future stars. On June 13, 2009, Misawa died at age 46 after taking a back suplex during a tag-team match in Hiroshima. The reported injury was a cervical fracture resulting in atlanto-axial dislocation. His death prompted renewed discussion in Japan about the regulation and safety of professional wrestling. Over his career, Misawa was an eight-time world champion, winning the Triple Crown five times and the GHC Heavyweight Championship three times, and he was named Wrestler of the Year by the Wrestling Observer Newsletter in 1995, 1997, and 1999.
Keiichi Tomita (冨田 恵一, Tomita Keiichi; born January 1, 1962) is a Japanese music producer, composer, and arranger.…
Keiichi Tomita (冨田 恵一, Tomita Keiichi; born January 1, 1962) is a Japanese music producer, composer, and arranger. Known in Japan as a "pop maestro" and "master of sound," Tomita has produced several tracks that have achieved popularity in Japan, including Misia’s song "Everything" and Mika Nakashima’s debut single "Stars." He has collaborated with a diverse array of musicians, including Kirinji, Bird, Maaya Sakamoto, Ringo Sheena, and Kaela Kimura.
Katsumi Watanabe (渡部 勝美, Watanabe Katsumi; born May 16, 1962) is a Japanese baseball player. He was awarded the bronze…
Katsumi Watanabe (渡部 勝美, Watanabe Katsumi; born May 16, 1962) is a Japanese baseball player. He was awarded the bronze medal, along with the rest of the Japanese team, during baseball's first ever appearance as an official Olympic sport, during the 1992 Summer Olympics.
Yasushi Suzuki (鈴木 靖, Suzuki Yasushi; born 15 May 1962) is a Japanese speed skater. He competed in the men's 500 metres…
Yasushi Suzuki (鈴木 靖, Suzuki Yasushi; born 15 May 1962) is a Japanese speed skater. He competed in the men's 500 metres event at the 1984 Winter Olympics.
Takayuki Suzui (鈴井 貴之, Suzui Takayuki; born 6 May 1962) is a tarento who mainly works in Hokkaido, film director and…
Takayuki Suzui (鈴井 貴之, Suzui Takayuki; born 6 May 1962) is a tarento who mainly works in Hokkaido, film director and broadcast writer. He is the chairman of Board of Directors of Creative Office Cue Co., Ltd., and the Board of Cure Products Co., Ltd., and Manhole Film Limited. He is nicknamed Mister (ミスター, Misutā). His ex-wife is Creative Office Cue President Ayumi Ito.
Takeaki Kunimoto (国本剛章, Kunimoto Takeaki) is a former composer of video game music. He used to work for the Japanese…
Takeaki Kunimoto (国本剛章, Kunimoto Takeaki) is a former composer of video game music. He used to work for the Japanese video game developer Hudson Soft. With them he would go on to compose several of their most famous early hits, including Star Soldier, Milon's Secret Castle, Mickey Mousecapade and Robowarrior. In recent years, he has dedicated his time to performing video game music at live venues in the Shibuya area, as well as releasing several albums containing his video game music material. Kunimoto is noted as one of the first to write accompanying lyrics to the music featured in the video games he composed for, printed in the instruction booklet supplied with the game software.
Eri Tokunaga (徳永エリ, Tokunaga Eri; born 1 January 1962) is a Japanese politician and former television reporter from the…
Eri Tokunaga (徳永エリ, Tokunaga Eri; born 1 January 1962) is a Japanese politician and former television reporter from the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan. She currently serves as member of the House of Councillors for the Hokkaido At-large district. Tokunaga is part of the CDP's shadow cabinet 'Next Cabinet' as the shadow Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary. Before entering in politics she worked as reporter for some TV shows in Nippon Television, TV Asahi, and TBS. She attended Hosei University in the Department of Law.
Megumi Sasaki (佐々木 芽生 Sasaki Megumi, born 1962) is a Japanese filmmaker and writer. Her films include Herb and Dorothy…
Megumi Sasaki (佐々木 芽生 Sasaki Megumi, born 1962) is a Japanese filmmaker and writer. Her films include Herb and Dorothy, Herb & Dorothy 50x50, and A Whale of a Tale.
Noriko Sasaki (佐々木 倫子, Sasaki Noriko; born 7 October 1961) is a Japanese manga artist. She is best known for her…
Noriko Sasaki (佐々木 倫子, Sasaki Noriko; born 7 October 1961) is a Japanese manga artist. She is best known for her Dōbutsu no Oisha-san series.
Kinoarashi Kazutoshi (born 9 July 1961 as Kazutoshi Ishiyama) is a former sumo wrestler from Yūbari, Hokkaidō, Japan.…
Kinoarashi Kazutoshi (born 9 July 1961 as Kazutoshi Ishiyama) is a former sumo wrestler from Yūbari, Hokkaidō, Japan. He joined professional sumo in 1977 and reached the top makuuchi division in 1982. His highest rank was maegashira 2. He fell to the sandanme division through injury before staging a successful comeback to the top division in 1987. He retired in 1991.
Masahito Shinohara (born 10 May 1961) is a Japanese speed skater. He competed in two events at the 1984 Winter Olympics.
Umanosuke Iida (飯田 馬之介, Iida Umanosuke; April 30, 1961 – November 26, 2010) (also known as Tsutomu Iida) was a Japanese…
Umanosuke Iida (飯田 馬之介, Iida Umanosuke; April 30, 1961 – November 26, 2010) (also known as Tsutomu Iida) was a Japanese anime creator, director and screenwriter. Iida died due to lung cancer. Iida was born in Urakawa, Hokkaido and graduated from Hokkaido Urakawa High School. He was a member of the Japan Animation Creators Association (JAniCA). He died of lung cancer at a hospital in Kiyose, Tokyo on November 26, 2010, at the age of 49. At the farewell ceremony, Hayao Miyazaki read a eulogy. He passed during production of the anime Towa no Quon, which he had been set to direct. After his death, production was taken over by Takeshi Mori, who was credited as co-director.
Hidehiko Tezuka (Japanese: 手塚 秀彦, Hepburn: Tezuka Hidehiko; born April 26, 1961, in Ikeda), better known as Kazuhiko…
Hidehiko Tezuka (Japanese: 手塚 秀彦, Hepburn: Tezuka Hidehiko; born April 26, 1961, in Ikeda), better known as Kazuhiko Shimamoto (島本 和彦, Shimamoto Kazuhiko), is a Japanese manga artist. He attended college at the Osaka University of Arts in the fine arts department. While in college in February 1982, he debuted in the spring special issue of Weekly Shōnen Sunday with Hissatsu no Tenkōsei. At this point, he dropped out of college and devoted his energy to becoming a manga artist. Shimamoto is responsible for several long-running and well-known manga series. He drew Honō no Tenkōsei from 1983 to 1985, as well as the Moeyo Pen saga, which began as a one-volume manga published in 1990 but was continued in two more series totaling 24 volumes. He also worked with Shotaro Ishinomori on a Skull Man manga based on Ishinomori's intended storyline, which was licensed in the US by Tokyopop. His baseball manga Gyakkyō Nine was adapted into a live-action Japanese film in 2005. His past assistants include Katsu Aki, Masaaki Fujihara, Eisaku Kubonouchi, and Tetsuo Sanjō. Some of his college classmates include Gainax founders Hideaki Anno and Hiroyuki Yamaga, among others. They later appeared as characters in his manga Aoi Honō.
Hiroyuki Nakamura (中村 ひろゆき, born 23 February 1961) is a Japanese politician who is serving in the House of…
Hiroyuki Nakamura (中村 ひろゆき, born 23 February 1961) is a Japanese politician who is serving in the House of Representatives as a representative from the Hokkaido since 2012. He is a member of the Liberal Democratic Party.
Toshimitsu Funabashi is a Japanese politician and businessman currently serving as a member of the Senate from…
Toshimitsu Funabashi is a Japanese politician and businessman currently serving as a member of the Senate from Hokkaido, an office he has held since 2022. Prior to his election to the Senate, he served as a member of the House of Representatives for two periods from 2012 to 2014 and 2017 to 2021; and also as a member of the Hokkaido Legislative Assembly from 1995 to 2012. In the Senate, Funabashi is the chair of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. A member of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), he is the director of the Fisheries Division in the Policy Research Council of the Liberal Democratic Party. Thoroughout his time in the National Diet, Funabashi has held two roles in the Cabinet of Japan, serving as the Vice-Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications during the second reshuffle of the Second Kishida cabinet and Vice-Minister of Finance during the Suga cabinet.
Jun Horie (堀江 淳, Horie Jun; born October 19, 1960) is a Japanese singer-songwriter.
Hokuten'yū Katsuhiko (北天佑 勝彦) (August 8, 1960 – June 23, 2006) was a sumo wrestler, from Muroran, Hokkaido, Japan. The…
Hokuten'yū Katsuhiko (北天佑 勝彦) (August 8, 1960 – June 23, 2006) was a sumo wrestler, from Muroran, Hokkaido, Japan. The highest rank he achieved was ōzeki which he held for seven years from 1983 until 1990. He won two top division yūshō or tournament championships. After his retirement as an active wrestler he worked as a sumo coach until his death in 2006 from cancer.
Seiichi Endo (遠藤誠一, Endō Seiichi; 5 June 1960 – 6 July 2018) was a Japanese terrorist and Aum Shinrikyo member who was…
Seiichi Endo (遠藤誠一, Endō Seiichi; 5 June 1960 – 6 July 2018) was a Japanese terrorist and Aum Shinrikyo member who was executed for his participation in the 1995 Tokyo subway sarin attack and a number of other crimes. He produced the Sarin gas for the attack after leader Shoko Asahara told him to do so.
Yumiko Kawahara (川原 由美子, Kawahara Yumiko; born April 20, 1960) is a Japanese shōjo manga artist born in Hakodate…
Yumiko Kawahara (川原 由美子, Kawahara Yumiko; born April 20, 1960) is a Japanese shōjo manga artist born in Hakodate, Hokkaido, Japan. She made her professional debut in 1978 with Kotchi muite Marie!! in the weekly Shōjo Comic, for which she won a Shogakukan New Artist Award. In 1985, she received the Shogakukan Manga Award for shōjo for Zenryaku Milk House (前略・ミルクハウス). She is best known in the United States as the author of Dolls, which was licensed by Viz Media.
Hirohisa Takagi (高木 宏壽, Hirohisa Takagi; born 9 April 1960) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party…
Hirohisa Takagi (高木 宏壽, Hirohisa Takagi; born 9 April 1960) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, who serves as a member of the House of Representatives.
Maki Nomiya (Japanese: 野宮 真貴, Hepburn: Nomiya Maki; born March 12, 1960) is a Japanese singer and musician. She is…
Maki Nomiya (Japanese: 野宮 真貴, Hepburn: Nomiya Maki; born March 12, 1960) is a Japanese singer and musician. She is known as the "Queen of Shibuya-kei" (渋谷系の女王, Shibuya-kei no Joō). Maki released her first solo album in 1981, and worked through the 1980s as the lead vocalist of the new wave band Portable Rock. In 1991, she became the lead singer of the band Pizzicato Five. When the group disbanded in 2001, she embarked on a solo career. She also appears singing solo on the soundtrack of the game We Love Katamari and in the 2008 Japanese version of Just One Second (Jikan Wo Tomete) by London Elektricity.
Naoki Yamamoto (山本 直樹, Yamamoto Naoki) is a Japanese manga artist. In his early years, he also used pen names Tō…
Naoki Yamamoto (山本 直樹, Yamamoto Naoki) is a Japanese manga artist. In his early years, he also used pen names Tō Moriyama (森山 塔, Moriyama Tō) and Mori Tōyama (塔山 森, Tōyama Mori) for his earlier adult-oriented works. He was born in Matsumae District, Fukushima, Hokkaido and graduated from Waseda University's Department of Literature.
Takako Aonuma (青沼貴子, Aonuma Takako; January 1, 1960) is a Japanese manga artist who writes primarily yonkoma manga.
Makoto Murata (村田 真, Murata Makoto; born 1960) is a Japanese computer scientist, Ph.D. in engineering, and Project…
Makoto Murata (村田 真, Murata Makoto; born 1960) is a Japanese computer scientist, Ph.D. in engineering, and Project Professor at Keio University. He participated in the W3C (World Wide Web Consortium) XML Working Group. The Working Group designed XML1.0, a markup language specification. Murata and James Clark designed RELAX NG, an XML schema language. Murata is the convener of ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 34 WG 4, responsible for Office Open XML maintenance.
Hirokazu Yagi (八木 弘和, Yagi Hirokazu) (born 26 December 1959) is a Japanese former ski jumper.
Satoru Iwata (Japanese: 岩田 聡; December 6, 1959 – July 11, 2015) was a Japanese businessman, video game programmer, and…
Satoru Iwata (Japanese: 岩田 聡; December 6, 1959 – July 11, 2015) was a Japanese businessman, video game programmer, and producer. Beginning in 2002, Iwata served as the fourth president of Nintendo, as well as the chief executive officer (CEO) of Nintendo of America from 2013 until his death in 2015. Iwata was a major contributor in broadening the appeal of video games by focusing on novel and entertaining software rather than top-of-the-line hardware. Born in Sapporo, Iwata expressed interest in video games from an early age and created his first simple game while in high school. He majored in computer science at the Tokyo Institute of Technology. In 1980, he joined the game developer HAL Laboratory while attending the university. At HAL, he worked as a programmer and closely collaborated with Nintendo, coding his first commercial console game in 1983 and programming early Nintendo Entertainment System titles including Pinball, Golf, and Balloon Fight. Later games to which he contributed include EarthBound and numerous installments in the Kirby series. Following a financial downturn and near-bankruptcy, Iwata became the president of HAL in 1993 at the insistence of Nintendo president Hiroshi Yamauchi and restored the company's financial stability. In the following years, he assisted in the development of the Pokémon and Super Smash Bros. series. Iwata joined Nintendo as the head of its corporate planning division in 2000. Nintendo saw strong growth under Iwata, and when Yamauchi retired in May 2002, Iwata succeeded him as the company's president, becoming the first president unrelated to the Yamauchi family. Under Iwata's leadership, Nintendo developed the Nintendo DS and Wii game consoles, helping the company achieve massive financial success. As a self-declared gamer, he focused on expanding the appeal of video games across demographics through a "blue ocean" business strategy and the Touch! Generations brand. Nintendo attained record profits by 2009, and Barron's placed Iwata among the top 30 CEOs worldwide. Iwata expanded his strategy by defining a quality-of-life product line for the Wii that evolved into a ten-year strategy to create standalone products. Later hardware such as the Nintendo 3DS and Wii U proved far less profitable than the Wii, and Nintendo's net sales fell by two-thirds from 2009 to 2012, with the company recording its first operating losses in 30 years during this period. Refusing to lay off employees, Iwata voluntarily halved his salary in 2011 and again in 2014. In 2015, after several years of decline, Iwata directed a portion of Nintendo's focus into the rapidly growing mobile game market through a landmark partnership with mobile provider DeNA established that March, while overseeing early development of the Nintendo Switch. Throughout his tenure, Iwata built a close relationship with Nintendo fans through social media and his regular appearances in Iwata Asks and Nintendo Direct, becoming the public face of the company. In June 2014, a tumor in Iwata's bile duct was discovered during a routine physical exam. It was removed, and Iwata returned to work in October of that year. The illness resurfaced in 2015, and Iwata died at the age of 55 from its complications on July 11. Members of the gaming industry and players worldwide offered tributes through public announcements and social media, and fans established temporary memorials around the globe. Iwata was posthumously awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2015 Golden Joystick Awards and the 2016 D.I.C.E. Awards.
Kenji Katsube (born 6 September 1959, in Hokkaido, Japan) is a Japanese politician who has served as a member of the…
Kenji Katsube (born 6 September 1959, in Hokkaido, Japan) is a Japanese politician who has served as a member of the House of Councillors of Japan since 2019. He is one of the six representatives of the Hokkaido at-large district, and is a member of the Constitutional Democratic Party.