Kōji Omi (尾身 幸次, Omi Kōji; 14 December 1932 – 14 April 2022) was a Japanese politician most notable for serving as…Kōji Omi (尾身 幸次, Omi Kōji; 14 December 1932 – 14 April 2022) was a Japanese politician most notable for serving as Minister of Finance in the first Cabinet of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
Hashimoto Mantarō (橋本 萬太郎; 26 November 1932 – 7 June 1987) was a Japanese sinologist and linguist who is best known for…Hashimoto Mantarō (橋本 萬太郎; 26 November 1932 – 7 June 1987) was a Japanese sinologist and linguist who is best known for advocating research on language geography, linguistic typology, and how different areal features in the varieties of Chinese (such as tonal distinctions) reflect contact with other language families.
Yoshie Takahashi (高橋 ヨシ江, Takahashi Yoshie; 15 April 1932 – 15 May 2022) was a Japanese track and field athlete. She…Yoshie Takahashi (高橋 ヨシ江, Takahashi Yoshie; 15 April 1932 – 15 May 2022) was a Japanese track and field athlete. She competed in the women's long jump at the 1956 Summer Olympics.
Yukio Araki (荒木 幸雄, Araki Yukio; March 10, 1928 – May 27, 1945) was a Japanese aviator of the Imperial Japanese Army…Yukio Araki (荒木 幸雄, Araki Yukio; March 10, 1928 – May 27, 1945) was a Japanese aviator of the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II. As a kamikaze pilot and member of the 72nd Shinbu Squadron, Araki died on May 27, 1945, during the Battle of Okinawa when he deliberately crashed his bomb-laden Mitsubishi Ki-51 into the USS Braine. It is speculated that Araki and one other pilot hit and damaged the ship, killing 66 of its crew. At 17, Araki was one of the youngest kamikaze pilots.
Niisan Takahashi (高橋 二三, Takahashi Nīsan) (born Yukito Takahashi (高橋 幸人, Takahashi Yukito); February 3, 1926 – May 5…Niisan Takahashi (高橋 二三, Takahashi Nīsan) (born Yukito Takahashi (高橋 幸人, Takahashi Yukito); February 3, 1926 – May 5, 2015) was a Japanese screenwriter.
Ken-Ichi Inada (稲田 献一, Inada Ken'ichi; March 8, 1925 – May 17, 2002) was a Japanese economist. Beginning in the 1950s…Ken-Ichi Inada (稲田 献一, Inada Ken'ichi; March 8, 1925 – May 17, 2002) was a Japanese economist. Beginning in the 1950s, Inada wrote a number of important papers on welfare economics, economic growth and international trade. His contributions include an early extension of Kenneth Arrow's impossibility theorem on the existence of a social welfare function (1955). Inada's extension of the Stolper–Samuelson theorem to the many-good, many-factor case is also considered as a classic piece in trade theory (1971). Inada has taught at universities including Osaka University and Tokyo Metropolitan University, served as a member of the honorary board of editors for the Japanese Economic Review since its first publishing in 1995, as well as being elected president of the Japanese Economic Association in 1980. He is known for the Inada conditions on a production function that can guarantee the stability of an economic growth path in a neoclassical growth model.
Jun-ichi Igusa (井草 凖一, Igusa Jun’ichi; 30 January 1924 – 24 November 2013) was a Japanese mathematician who for over…Jun-ichi Igusa (井草 凖一, Igusa Jun’ichi; 30 January 1924 – 24 November 2013) was a Japanese mathematician who for over three decades was on the faculty at Johns Hopkins University. He is known for his contributions to algebraic geometry and number theory. The Igusa zeta-function, the Igusa quartic, Igusa subgroups, Igusa curves, and Igusa varieties are named after him. He was an invited speaker for the 1962 International Congress of Mathematicians in Stockholm. He was awarded Japan's Order of the Sacred Treasure. In 2012 he became a fellow of the American Mathematical Society.
Keiju Kobayashi (小林桂樹, Kobayashi Keiju; 23 November 1923 – 16 September 2010) was a Japanese actor who appeared in 253…Keiju Kobayashi (小林桂樹, Kobayashi Keiju; 23 November 1923 – 16 September 2010) was a Japanese actor who appeared in 253 films in a career spanning 67 years. Born in Gunma Prefecture, he began acting at the Nikkatsu studio after dropping out of Nihon University and made his film debut in 1942. In 1956 he moved to Toho film company. In a career that spanned 65 years, he appeared in over 250 films, most famously in the "Company President" (Shachō) comedy films made at Toho, where he worked alongside Hisaya Morishige, Daisuke Katō, Norihei Miki, and others. There he helped define the popular image of the postwar salaryman. He also won many awards for his acting, including best actor awards at the Mainichi Film Awards for The Naked General in 1958 (where he played Kiyoshi Yamashita), for Kuroi gashū in 1960, and for The Elegant Life of Mr Everyman in 1963. Kobayashi appeared in films made by such notable directors as Akira Kurosawa, Yasujirō Ozu, Mikio Naruse, and Kihachi Okamoto. He continued to give powerful performances after largely moving to television in the late 1960s. He also portrayed the voice of the "Shirō Nishi" in the original Japanese version of the Studio Ghibli anime film Whisper of the Heart in 1995. He died on 16 September 2010 of heart failure at the age of 86.
Rentarō Mikuni (Japanese: 三國連太郎, Hepburn: Mikuni Rentarō; 20 January 1923 – 14 April 2013) was a Japanese actor and…Rentarō Mikuni (Japanese: 三國連太郎, Hepburn: Mikuni Rentarō; 20 January 1923 – 14 April 2013) was a Japanese actor and film director. He starred in several films of Keisuke Kinoshita, Mikio Naruse, Tadashi Imai, Shōhei Imamura, Tomu Uchida and many others. Mikuni received numerous awards for his performances and was awarded the Jury Prize at the 1987 Cannes Film Festival for his film Shinran: Path to Purity, which he wrote and directed.
Ichiro Abe (安部一郎, Abe Ichirō; 12 November 1922 – 27 February 2022) was a Japanese judoka. He was head of the Promotions…Ichiro Abe (安部一郎, Abe Ichirō; 12 November 1922 – 27 February 2022) was a Japanese judoka. He was head of the Promotions Panel at the Kodokan and former international chairperson of the All Nippon Judo Federation. He was one of only fifteen judoka to have attained Kodokan 10th dan rank, having been promoted at the New Year Kagami biraki Ceremony, 8 January 2006 along with Toshiro Daigo and Yoshimi Osawa.
Kiyoshi Ogawa (小川 清, Ogawa Kiyoshi; October 23, 1922 – May 11, 1945) was a Japanese naval aviator ensign (少尉) of the…Kiyoshi Ogawa (小川 清, Ogawa Kiyoshi; October 23, 1922 – May 11, 1945) was a Japanese naval aviator ensign (少尉) of the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II. As a kamikaze pilot, Ensign Ogawa's final action took place on May 11, 1945, during the Battle of Okinawa. Piloting a bomb-laden Mitsubishi Zero fighter during Operation Kikusui No. 6, Ogawa flew through American anti-aircraft fire and struck the aircraft carrier USS Bunker Hill, less than one minute after his flight leader, sub-lieutenant Seizō Yasunori, crashed into the ship. Ogawa dropped a 250-kilogram (551 lb) bomb, never pulled out of the dive, and crashed deliberately into the flight deck near the control tower of the aircraft carrier. The bomb penetrated Bunker Hill's flight deck and exploded. Gasoline fires flamed up and several explosions took place when re-armed and re-fueled planes on deck exploded and caught fire. 393 American sailors died with Yasunori and Ogawa, 264 were wounded, while the carrier was under repair for the remainder of the war.
Makoto Tanabe (田邊 誠; 25 February 1922 – 2 July 2015) was the chairman of the former Japan Socialist Party, now known as…Makoto Tanabe (田邊 誠; 25 February 1922 – 2 July 2015) was the chairman of the former Japan Socialist Party, now known as the Social Democratic Party of Japan. He was elected to the position in 1991. Tanabe was from the right wing of the party and was a reformer. He served in the Japanese House of Representatives 11 times. Tanabe was a supporter of giving Japanese aide to deal with the lack of food in North Korea. He was also supportive of apologizing for Japan's behaviour during World War II and of giving reparations to those in Asian countries. He died on 2 July 2015, at the age of 93.
Yasuhiro Nakasone (中曽根 康弘, Nakasone Yasuhiro; 27 May 1918 – 29 November 2019) was a Japanese politician who served as…Yasuhiro Nakasone (中曽根 康弘, Nakasone Yasuhiro; 27 May 1918 – 29 November 2019) was a Japanese politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan from 1982 to 1987. His political term was best known for pushing through the privatization of state-owned companies, pursuing a hawkish and pro-United States foreign policy and his rejection of Keynesianism and his support of neoliberalism. Born in Gunma Prefecture, Nakasone graduated from Tokyo Imperial University and served in the imperial navy during the Pacific War. After the war, he entered the National Diet in 1947 and rose through the ranks of the Liberal Democratic Party, serving as chief of the Defense Agency from 1970 to 1971 under Eisaku Satō, international trade and industry minister from 1972 to 1974 under Kakuei Tanaka, and administration minister from 1980 to 1982 under Zenkō Suzuki. As prime minister, he passed large defense budgets and controversially visited the Yasukuni Shrine. A conservative contemporary of U.S. president Ronald Reagan, Nakasone privatized the Japanese National Railways and telephone systems, and favored closer ties with the U.S., once calling Japan an "unsinkable aircraft carrier". After leaving office in 1987, he was implicated in the Recruit scandal, causing the influence of his LDP faction to wane before he retired from the Diet in 2003.
Satoshi Sumita (澄田 智, Sumita Satoshi; September 4, 1916 – September 7, 2008) was a Japanese businessman, central…Satoshi Sumita (澄田 智, Sumita Satoshi; September 4, 1916 – September 7, 2008) was a Japanese businessman, central banker, the 25th Governor of the Bank of Japan (BOJ) during a period in which Japan became the world's largest creditor nation.
Yoshio Fujimaki (藤牧義夫, Fujimaki Yoshio) (January 19, 1911 – disappeared September 2, 1935)was a Japanese printmaker who…Yoshio Fujimaki (藤牧義夫, Fujimaki Yoshio) (January 19, 1911 – disappeared September 2, 1935)was a Japanese printmaker who was part of the Sōsaku-hanga movement. He focused mainly on depicting the Shitamachi area of Tokyo during the 1930s, and is known for creating a long Hakubyō scroll print focusing on areas surrounding the Sumida River. Fujimaki became an obscure figure after his disappearance at the age of 24, but a 1978 exhibition renewed interest in his work.
Jiro Sato (佐藤 次郎, Satō Jirō; Japanese pronunciation: [sa.toː dʑi.ɾoː]; January 5, 1908 – April 5, 1934) was a Japanese…Jiro Sato (佐藤 次郎, Satō Jirō; Japanese pronunciation: [sa.toː dʑi.ɾoː]; January 5, 1908 – April 5, 1934) was a Japanese tennis player. He was ranked world No. 3 in 1933 but committed suicide in the Strait of Malacca during his trip to the Davis Cup in 1934. He received worldwide fame at Wimbledon in 1932, when he beat the defending champion Sidney Wood in the quarterfinal. In the semifinal, he lost to Bunny Austin. His peak came in 1933, when he beat Fred Perry in the French Open quarterfinal. He was ranked world No. 3 by A. Wallis Myers of The Daily Telegraph, behind Jack Crawford and Fred Perry. However, it got more and more difficult for him to endure the enormous pressure from Japan. It is believed that this pressure drove him to throw himself overboard into the Strait of Malacca on April 5, 1934, at 26 years of age.
Eijirō Tōno (東野英治郎, Tōno Eijirō; 17 September 1907 – 8 September 1994) was a Japanese actor who, in a career lasting…Eijirō Tōno (東野英治郎, Tōno Eijirō; 17 September 1907 – 8 September 1994) was a Japanese actor who, in a career lasting more than 50 years, appeared in over 400 television shows, nearly 250 films and numerous stage productions. He is best known in the West for his roles in films by Akira Kurosawa, such as Seven Samurai (1954) and Yojimbo (1961), and films by Yasujirō Ozu, such as Tokyo Story (1953) and An Autumn Afternoon (1962). He also appeared in Kill! by Kihachi Okamoto and Tora! Tora! Tora!, a depiction of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. His final film was Juzo Itami's A-ge-man (Tales of a Golden Geisha) in 1990. Tōno also starred as the title character in the long-running television jidaigeki series Mito Kōmon from 1969 to 1983. In the early years of his career he acted under the name of Katsuji Honjo (本庄克二).
Takeo Fukuda (福田 赳夫, Fukuda Takeo; 14 January 1905 – 5 July 1995) was a Japanese politician who served as prime…Takeo Fukuda (福田 赳夫, Fukuda Takeo; 14 January 1905 – 5 July 1995) was a Japanese politician who served as prime minister of Japan from 1976 to 1978. Born in Gunma Prefecture and educated at Tokyo Imperial University, Fukuda served as an official in the Ministry of Finance for two decades before entering politics. He was first elected to the Diet in 1952, and served as agriculture, forestry, and fisheries minister in 1959–1960 under Nobusuke Kishi, as head of the party's political affairs section under Hayato Ikeda, and as finance minister (1965–1966, 1968–1971) and foreign minister (1971–1972) under Eisaku Satō, becoming his protégé. Fukuda's political life was marked by a rivalry with Kakuei Tanaka, who succeeded Satō as prime minister in 1972 and under whom Fukuda served as finance minister from 1973 to 1974. As prime minister from 1976, Fukuda formulated the Fukuda Doctrine, which pledged trust and cooperation with Asian countries, and concluded the Treaty of Peace and Friendship between Japan and China in 1978. He was succeeded as premier in 1978 by Masayoshi Ōhira. His son, Yasuo Fukuda, followed him as a politician and served as prime minister from 2007 to 2008.
Hidesaburō Shōda (正田 英三郎, Shōda Hidesaburō; 21 September 1903 – 18 June 1999) was a Japanese businessman. He served as…Hidesaburō Shōda (正田 英三郎, Shōda Hidesaburō; 21 September 1903 – 18 June 1999) was a Japanese businessman. He served as the president and later honorary chairman of Nisshin Seifun Group, the country's largest flour milling company. He was the father of Empress Michiko, is the father in law of Emperor Akihito, and the maternal grandfather of Emperor Naruhito. He was the third son of Teiichiro Shōda, the founder of the Nisshin Seifun Group. The Shōda family is prominent in both industrial and academic circles.
Masayoshi Ueki (植木 正義, Ueki Masayoshi; March 30, 1903 – March 31, 1983), known professionally as Chiezō Kataoka (片岡…Masayoshi Ueki (植木 正義, Ueki Masayoshi; March 30, 1903 – March 31, 1983), known professionally as Chiezō Kataoka (片岡 千恵蔵, Kataoka Chiezō), was a Japanese film and television actor most famous for his starring roles in jidaigeki.
Kenji Tsukagoshi (塚越 賢爾, Tsukagoshi Kenji; 1900–1943) was a Japanese aviator and explorer. He was navigator on the…Kenji Tsukagoshi (塚越 賢爾, Tsukagoshi Kenji; 1900–1943) was a Japanese aviator and explorer. He was navigator on the first Japanese-built aircraft to fly from Japan to Europe.
Ichiro Fukuzawa (January 18, 1898 – October 16, 1992) was a Japanese modernist painter credited with the establishment…Ichiro Fukuzawa (January 18, 1898 – October 16, 1992) was a Japanese modernist painter credited with the establishment of Surrealism in Japan's artistic communities during the early 1930s. While Surrealist artists are known for their distinct focus on the human subconsciousness and dreams, Fukuzawa's Western-style (yōga) paintings depart from such conventions by instead providing sharply satirical commentaries on human behavior and systemic social issues in Japan, including the Japanese occupation of Manchuria and the adverse impacts of the 1973 Oil Crisis on the Japanese economy. Since he was associated with Surrealism's progressive ideas, Fukuzawa's art became a contentious issue for the Japanese State that led to his subsequent imprisonment and forced him to pursue pro-Imperial subjects during the Second World War. Fukuzawa's career was not limited to the Japanese islands as he traveled extensively across mainland Asia, Europe, the United States, and Australia where his exposure to key socio-political events and artistic styles influenced his later periods of creativity. Despite his violation of the Peace Preservation Law during World War II, Fukuzawa is celebrated as one of only a few individuals in Japanese history to have been imprisoned for breaking national laws and to be regarded as a Person of Cultural Merit and the recipient of the Order of Culture within his lifetime.
Nobuzo Tohmatsu (等松 農夫蔵, Tōmatsu Nobuzō; 25 April 1896 – 28 December 1980) was an admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy…Nobuzo Tohmatsu (等松 農夫蔵, Tōmatsu Nobuzō; 25 April 1896 – 28 December 1980) was an admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy in World War II who went on to become an accountant and a namesake of the global auditing firm Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, today the world's largest professional services company.
Shinzō Ōya (大屋 晋三, Ōya Shinzō; 5 July 1894 – 9 March 1980) was an entrepreneur and politician, who served as Minister…Shinzō Ōya (大屋 晋三, Ōya Shinzō; 5 July 1894 – 9 March 1980) was an entrepreneur and politician, who served as Minister of Commerce and Industry in post-war Japan. Ōya was born in what is now part of the town of Meiwa in Gunma Prefecture, where his father was a high school principal and his grandfather had been a samurai in the service of Kawagoe Domain. He graduated from what later became Hitotsubashi University in 1918. On graduation he joined the zaibatsu Suzuki Shoten, and from 1925 went to work for Teijin, eventually becoming its president in November 1945. In his early career, he was praised as a charismatic manager, who introduced new synthetic fibers which made Teijin a market leader in the fabric industry. However, he later was criticized for over-diversification, and for his refusal to surrender authority over the company despite his obvious mental decline in old age, which led Teijin to the brink of bankruptcy. In 1947, Ōya was elected to a seat in the Diet of Japan in 1947 Upper House election from the Osaka electoral district, and was reelected for a second term, serving until June 1956 under Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) banner. From 19 October 1948 – 16 February 1949, he was Minister of Commerce and Industry under the 2nd Shigeru Yoshida administration, as well as interim Minister of Finance from 14 December 1948 to 16 February 1949. During the 3rd Yoshida administration, Ōya served as Minister of Transport from 16 February 1949 to 28 June 1950. Ōya was married to the singer and writer Masako Ōya.
Mitsu Kōro (Japanese: 紅露みつ; 10 May 1893 – 28 December 1980) was a Japanese politician. She was one of the first group…Mitsu Kōro (Japanese: 紅露みつ; 10 May 1893 – 28 December 1980) was a Japanese politician. She was one of the first group of women elected to the House of Representatives in 1946. Aside from a brief spell in 1947, she served continuously in parliament until 1968.
Motokichi Takahashi (高橋 元吉, Takahashi Motokichi; 6 March 1893 – 28 January 1965), was a poet during the Taishō and…Motokichi Takahashi (高橋 元吉, Takahashi Motokichi; 6 March 1893 – 28 January 1965), was a poet during the Taishō and Shōwa periods of Japan. He was born in Maebashi city Gunma Prefecture.
Zenzo Shimizu (清水 善造, Shimizu Zenzō; 25 March 1891 – 12 April 1977), also spelt Zenzo Shimidzu, was a Japanese tennis…Zenzo Shimizu (清水 善造, Shimizu Zenzō; 25 March 1891 – 12 April 1977), also spelt Zenzo Shimidzu, was a Japanese tennis player. Shimizu graduated from the Tokyo Higher Commerce School (now Hitotsubashi University). In 1912, he started to work for Mitsui & Co. He married the daughter of Sohōka. He resided in Calcutta and New York. In 1929 he was transferred to Mitsui Life Insurance Co., became the manager of Kobe Branch, in 1945 the director thereof and thereafter was expelled from his official position after World War II. He was running a trading company in Kobe thereafter. In 1965 he collapsed from a stroke. In 1977 he died in Osaka at the age of 86. While having this educational background and career he reached the All-Comers final of the Wimbledon Championships in 1920, where he lost to Bill Tilden 4–6, 4–6, 11–13. At the 1921 Wimbledon Championships he reached the semifinal which he lost to Manuel Alonso in five sets. He also was a member of Japan's Davis Cup team that finished second to United States in 1921. In 1921 he won the singles title at the London Championships by defeating Mohammed Sleem in the final in straight sets. He established the earliest period of Japanese tennis together with Ichiya Kumagae (accurately speaking, Kumagai). Shimizu was ranked World No. 4 by A. Wallis Myers of The Daily Telegraph in 1921. Zenzo Shimizu (清水善三) (the same pronunciation but different Kanji comparing with Zenzo of this article, 善造) who is an ex-actor is his grandson.
Sakutarō Hagiwara (萩原 朔太郎, Hagiwara Sakutarō; 1 November 1886 – 11 May 1942) was a Japanese writer of free verse…Sakutarō Hagiwara (萩原 朔太郎, Hagiwara Sakutarō; 1 November 1886 – 11 May 1942) was a Japanese writer of free verse, active in the Taishō and early Shōwa periods of Japan. He liberated Japanese free verse from the grip of traditional rules, and he is considered the "father of modern colloquial poetry in Japan". He published many volumes of essays, literary and cultural criticism, and aphorisms over his long career. His unique style of verse expressed his doubts about existence, and his fears, ennui, and anger through the use of dark images and unambiguous wording. He died from pneumonia aged 55.
Tsuruko Haraguchi (Japanese: 原口鶴子; 18 June 1886 – 26 September 1915) was a Japanese psychologist and the first Japanese…Tsuruko Haraguchi (Japanese: 原口鶴子; 18 June 1886 – 26 September 1915) was a Japanese psychologist and the first Japanese woman to receive a Doctor of Philosophy.
Nisshō Inoue (井上 日召, Inoue Nisshō; April 12, 1887 – March 4, 1967) was a Japanese Buddhist preacher of Nichirenism who…Nisshō Inoue (井上 日召, Inoue Nisshō; April 12, 1887 – March 4, 1967) was a Japanese Buddhist preacher of Nichirenism who founded the interwar Japanese fascist militant organization Ketsumeidan (血盟団, League of Blood). Contrary to popular belief, he was never an ordained Nichiren priest, but was rather a self-styled preacher whose extremist tenets were widely denounced by Japan's mainline Nichiren Buddhist establishment of the time.
Motoyuki Takabatake (Japanese: 高畠素之, Hepburn: Takabatake Motoyuki; 1886 – 1928) was a Japanese journalist and political…Motoyuki Takabatake (Japanese: 高畠素之, Hepburn: Takabatake Motoyuki; 1886 – 1928) was a Japanese journalist and political activist who completed the first full Japanese translation of Karl Marx's Das Kapital. In his youth he became a member of the small Japanese anarchist movement. During the Russian Revolution however, he began to lean in support of state socialism. Where prominent Marxists saw the state in Soviet Russia as a temporary and necessary evil needed to construct communist society, Takabatake welcomed the revolution precisely because it would lead to a strong centralized state. This led to tensions between him and other Japanese Marxists, with Takabatake becoming one of the first theoreticians of socialist nationalism in Japan. He completed the first Japanese translation of Das Kapital in 1924, though by 1926 he had left Marxism entirely, establishing the fascist Kenkokukai organization, and had prepared to establish a National Socialist Party before his abrupt death in 1928.
Morita Fukui (July 14, 1885 – December 27, 1965) was the first Commissioner of Baseball in Japan. (Matsutarō Shōriki…Morita Fukui (July 14, 1885 – December 27, 1965) was the first Commissioner of Baseball in Japan. (Matsutarō Shōriki, media mogul and owner of the Yomiuri Giants, was instrumental in the formation of Nippon Professional Baseball in 1949–1950, and acted unofficially as the league's first commissioner in 1950.) A lawyer, prosecutor, politician, Fukui was sworn in as Commissioner in 1951.
Chikuhei Nakajima (中島 知久平, Nakajima Chikuhei; January 1, 1884 – October 29, 1949), was a Japanese businessman, naval…Chikuhei Nakajima (中島 知久平, Nakajima Chikuhei; January 1, 1884 – October 29, 1949), was a Japanese businessman, naval engineer, naval officer, and politician who was most notable for having founded Nakajima Aircraft Company in 1917, a major supplier of airplanes in the Empire of Japan. He also served as a cabinet minister.
Bunzaburō Kawagishi (川岸 文三郎, Kawagishi Bunzaburō; January 1, 1882 – June 16, 1957) was a lieutenant-general in the…Bunzaburō Kawagishi (川岸 文三郎, Kawagishi Bunzaburō; January 1, 1882 – June 16, 1957) was a lieutenant-general in the Imperial Japanese Army during the early stages of the Second Sino-Japanese War.
Nobutaka Shiōden (四王天 延孝, Shiōden Nobutaka; 2 September 1878 – 8 August 1962) was a lieutenant general in the Imperial…Nobutaka Shiōden (四王天 延孝, Shiōden Nobutaka; 2 September 1878 – 8 August 1962) was a lieutenant general in the Imperial Japanese Army, propagandist of a Jewish conspiracy theory during and after World War II and a legislator in the Diet of Japan.
Ryūsaku Tsunoda (角田 柳作, Tsunoda Ryūsaku; 8 September 1877 - 29 November 1964) was a Japanese scholar and is known as…Ryūsaku Tsunoda (角田 柳作, Tsunoda Ryūsaku; 8 September 1877 - 29 November 1964) was a Japanese scholar and is known as the "father of Japanese studies" at Columbia University. He was directly responsible for developing the Japanese language and literature collection at Columbia's library. Prominent among the former-students who credit his influence as formative is Donald Keene, who had himself become a later Dean of Japanese studies in the United States.
Senuma Kayō (Japanese: 瀬沼夏葉; December 11, 1875 – February 28, 1915) was a Japanese translator and teacher. She was the…Senuma Kayō (Japanese: 瀬沼夏葉; December 11, 1875 – February 28, 1915) was a Japanese translator and teacher. She was the first woman to translate Russian literature to Japanese.
Komuro Suiun (Japanese: 小室翠雲, August 31, 1874 – March 30, 1945) is the pseudonym of a Japanese nihonga painter who…Komuro Suiun (Japanese: 小室翠雲, August 31, 1874 – March 30, 1945) is the pseudonym of a Japanese nihonga painter who worked mainly in the nanga style, active from the Meiji period (1868–1912) to the Shōwa period (1926–1989).
Katai Tayama (田山 花袋 Tayama Katai, 22 January 1872 – 13 May 1930, born Rokuya Tayama) was a Japanese author. His most…Katai Tayama (田山 花袋 Tayama Katai, 22 January 1872 – 13 May 1930, born Rokuya Tayama) was a Japanese author. His most famous works include Inaka Kyōshi (田舎教師, "Rural Teacher," also translated "Country Teacher") and Futon (蒲団, also translated "The Quilt"). He is noted for establishing the Japanese literary genre of naturalistic I novels which revolve around the detailed self-examinations of an introspective author. He also wrote about his experiences in the Russo-Japanese War.
Yamada Torajirō (Japanese: 山田寅次郎, Hiragana: やまだ とらじろう; 23 August 1866 – 13 February 1957) was a Japanese businessman…Yamada Torajirō (Japanese: 山田寅次郎, Hiragana: やまだ とらじろう; 23 August 1866 – 13 February 1957) was a Japanese businessman and tea master who is considered to have laid the foundation of Japanese–Turkish relations. He took the name Yamada Sōyū when he became a tea ceremony master, Iemoto (Japanese: 山田宗有), after 1923. He arrived in Istanbul in 1892, where he donated to the families of the victims of the sinking of the Turkish frigate Ertuğrul. He remained there for 13 years, finally going back to Japan in 1905. Although he was not able to ensure Japanese political or economic interests in Istanbul, his activity was the beginning of a period of intensification of contact between the two countries. He acted as an Honorary Consul, helped introduce the Turks to Japanese culture and wrote many books about Turkey after returning to Japan. His work is considered a fundamental basis of amicable Japan–Turkey relations.
Matatarō Matsumoto (松本 亦太郎, Matsumoto Matatarō; 1865–1943) was a Japanese psychologist who set up the first…Matatarō Matsumoto (松本 亦太郎, Matsumoto Matatarō; 1865–1943) was a Japanese psychologist who set up the first psychological laboratory in Japan. He has been described as "the most eminent figure in the history of psychology in Japan". He founded the Japanese Journal of Psychology and the Japanese Psychological Association. A native of Takasaki, Matsumoto studied for undergraduate and master's degrees in Tokyo, studying under Japan's first academic psychologist, Yūjirō Motora. He earned a doctorate at Yale University under the tutelage of psychologist Edward Wheeler Scripture. Matsumoto taught at the Tokyo Higher Normal School before he set up Japan's second psychology laboratory at Kyoto University. He then took over the psychology program at Tokyo Imperial University after Motora died.
Arai Ryoichiro (新井 領一郎) (August 31, 1855 – April 10, 1939) was a Japanese businessman. He helped to build trade…Arai Ryoichiro (新井 領一郎) (August 31, 1855 – April 10, 1939) was a Japanese businessman. He helped to build trade relationships between the United States and Japan, especially in the silk industry.
Takahashi Oden (高橋 お伝; 1848 – January 31, 1879) was a female Japanese murderer known for killing a man and being the…Takahashi Oden (高橋 お伝; 1848 – January 31, 1879) was a female Japanese murderer known for killing a man and being the last woman in Japan to be put to death by beheading. She was also suspected of poisoning her husband. The movie Dokufu Oden Takahashi is based on her life. Director Shōgorō Nishimura's Roman porno film Crimson Night Dream (紅夜夢, Koyamu) (1983) also depicts Takahashi.
Nakazawa Koto (中沢琴, 1839–October 12, 1927) was a Japanese swordswoman and Onna-musha of the Bakumatsu period. She…Nakazawa Koto (中沢琴, 1839–October 12, 1927) was a Japanese swordswoman and Onna-musha of the Bakumatsu period. She joined the Rōshigumi and later Shinchogumi forces, and worked as a pro-Tokugawa agent in the Boshin War.
Riri Arai (荒井梨里, Arai Riri; born November 5, 1999), known mononymously as Riri (stylized as RIRI or RiRi), is a…Riri Arai (荒井梨里, Arai Riri; born November 5, 1999), known mononymously as Riri (stylized as RIRI or RiRi), is a Japanese singer-songwriter. After winning a talent contest and being scouted by The Mic-a-holics, the agency that represents Japanese-American singer-songwriter Ai, she released her debut extended play I Love to Sing in 2016. Her second EP Rush was released in 2017, debuting and peaking at number 70 on the Billboard Japan Hot Albums Chart. Shortly after, Sony Music Entertainment Japan offered Riri a record contract and she soon was signed to Sony Music Associated Records. Her eponymous major label debut studio album was released in 2018, followed by her second studio album Neo later that year. Riri's fourth EP, the Summertime EP was released in May 2019, serving as her final release under Sony Music Japan.
Takashi Inagaki (稲垣隆史, Inagaki Takashi; May 11, 1937 – March 12, 2025) was a Japanese actor and voice actor affiliated…Takashi Inagaki (稲垣隆史, Inagaki Takashi; May 11, 1937 – March 12, 2025) was a Japanese actor and voice actor affiliated with Mingei Theatre Company. Inagaki died on March 12, 2025, at the age of 87.
Tōru Furusawa (古澤 徹, Furusawa Tōru; born August 3, 1962), known professionally as Tōru Furusawa (古澤 融, Furusawa Tōru)…Tōru Furusawa (古澤 徹, Furusawa Tōru; born August 3, 1962), known professionally as Tōru Furusawa (古澤 融, Furusawa Tōru), is a Japanese voice actor, stage actor, and theater director of the Rlung Fu-Run- theater company affiliated with Low Notes.
Mizuho Ishida (石田瑞穂 Ishida Mizuho, born January 22, 1988) is a former Japanese volleyball player who played for…Mizuho Ishida (石田瑞穂 Ishida Mizuho, born January 22, 1988) is a former Japanese volleyball player who played for Hisamitsu Springs, Denso Airybees, Takefuji Bamboo, and the Japan women's national volleyball team.