Akiko Kobayashi (小林明子, Kobayashi Akiko; born November 5, 1958), also known by her alias Holi, is a Japanese singer…
Akiko Kobayashi (小林明子, Kobayashi Akiko; born November 5, 1958), also known by her alias Holi, is a Japanese singer, songwriter, composer and arranger. Kobayashi collaborated with Brian Eno and U2 on their 1995 project, the Passengers. Her smash hit debut song, "Koi ni Ochite -Fall in love-" (恋におちて -Fall in love-) from 1985s popular show "Kinyōbi no Tsumatachi e" made her famous in Japan. She was born in Tokyo and first began singing at age 15 and writing, later, songs for other artists that became big hits at home and abroad making her famous. She received a degree in philosophy from the prestigious Gakushuin University in Tokyo. Her first proper job in the music industry was as a secretary at a music publishing company, which she got through a professor from university. She debuted as a writer in 1984, writing the song "Moon Eyes" for folk duo Bread & Butter. Then, in 1985, she released her debut single "Koi ni Ochite -Fall in love-" (恋におちて -Fall in love-). The song became an instant hit, and earned Kobayashi a nomination for best newcomer at the 27th Japan Record Awards. Staff that worked on the recording began to compare Kobayashi's voice to that of Karen Carpenter, lead singer of The Carpenters, and suggested she approach Richard Carpenter. After hearing her demo tape, and enjoying the melody and vocals, Richard announced that her album "City of Angels" would be released in 1988. In 1991, Kobayashi relocated to the United Kingdom and released an album under the name "holi". Soon after, she released a cover album of The Carpenters' songs. In 2001, she married a British accountant.
Famous People from Tokyo
Tokyo: 2,797 people
Mitsuhisa Ishikawa (石川 光久, Ishikawa Mitsuhisa; born October 30, 1958) is a Japanese anime producer and planner, as well…
Mitsuhisa Ishikawa (石川 光久, Ishikawa Mitsuhisa; born October 30, 1958) is a Japanese anime producer and planner, as well as the co-founder and current chairman of the anime studio Production I.G.
Yoko Ishii (石井 葉子, Ishii Yōko; born October 18, 1958, in Chōfu, Tokyo, Japan), better known as Megumi Ishii (石井 めぐみ…
Yoko Ishii (石井 葉子, Ishii Yōko; born October 18, 1958, in Chōfu, Tokyo, Japan), better known as Megumi Ishii (石井 めぐみ, Ishii Megumi) is a Japanese actress and politician who is represented by the talent agency, Wonder Production. In 2015, she was elected to the Kunitachi Municipal Assembly.
Masato Nakamura (中村 正人, Nakamura Masato; born October 1, 1958) is a Japanese musician, bass guitarist, and record…
Masato Nakamura (中村 正人, Nakamura Masato; born October 1, 1958) is a Japanese musician, bass guitarist, and record producer. He is a member of the J-pop band Dreams Come True, which was formed in 1988 and went on to sell over 50 million CDs. He also composed the soundtracks for the video games Sonic the Hedgehog (1991) and Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (1992).
Tatsu Aoki (青木 達幸, Aoki Tatsuyuki) (born September 19, 1957) is a multi-instrumentalist trained in traditional Japanese…
Tatsu Aoki (青木 達幸, Aoki Tatsuyuki) (born September 19, 1957) is a multi-instrumentalist trained in traditional Japanese music (i.e.: taiko and shamisen), educator and experimental filmmaker. In his career as Chicago's Jazz and creative improvisor, he is mostly known as a long-standing bassist for Fred Anderson and he has also worked with George Freeman, and Von Freeman in the 90s. Aoki also has curious recording projects with Malachi Favors, Roscoe Mitchell, Don Moye, Wu Man, and other internationally renowned artists. Aoki also directs cultural events that promote the history of Japanese artistic traditions and contemporary Asian influences in jazz. As the founder and artistic director of Asian Improv Arts Midwest, he hosts events such as the annual Chicago Asian American Jazz Festival and the Japanese American Service Committee's Tsukasa Taiko Legacy arts residency program.
Hiroaki Nagasawa (長沢 広明, Nagasawa Hiroaki; born 19 August 1958) is a Japanese politician and member of the Komeito…
Hiroaki Nagasawa (長沢 広明, Nagasawa Hiroaki; born 19 August 1958) is a Japanese politician and member of the Komeito Party of Japan and former Senior Vice Minister for the Reconstruction Agency. He resigned in September 2017 after letting a female acquaintance use a housing complex reserved for lawmakers.
Yuji Abe (阿部 祐二, Abe Yūji; born 14 August 1958) is a Japanese television reporter and actor. He is represented by…
Yuji Abe (阿部 祐二, Abe Yūji; born 14 August 1958) is a Japanese television reporter and actor. He is represented by Tender Pro.
Akimasa Suzuki (鈴木 晶雅, Suzuki Akimasa; born 29 June 1958) is a Japanese politician who is the Mayor of Ōta, a Special…
Akimasa Suzuki (鈴木 晶雅, Suzuki Akimasa; born 29 June 1958) is a Japanese politician who is the Mayor of Ōta, a Special ward of Tokyo, since April 2023. A former member of the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly, Suzuki was chairman of the Special Committee on Budget and Chairman of the General Affairs Committee.
Hideo Saitō (Japanese: 斉藤 英夫, Hepburn: Saitō Hideo; born May 30, 1958), is a Japanese musician and composer, best known…
Hideo Saitō (Japanese: 斉藤 英夫, Hepburn: Saitō Hideo; born May 30, 1958), is a Japanese musician and composer, best known for his collaborations with Chisato Moritaka from 1987 to 1995. He is also the producer of the musical cat group Musashi's.
Masayoshi Okada (岡田 正義, Okada Masayoshi; born May 24, 1958 in Tokyo) is a Japanese football referee. He refereed a…
Masayoshi Okada (岡田 正義, Okada Masayoshi; born May 24, 1958 in Tokyo) is a Japanese football referee. He refereed a first round match between England and Tunisia in the 1998 FIFA World Cup.
Sayuri Kume (Japanese: 久米小百合 (Kume Sayuri)), also known as Saki Kubota (Japanese: 久保田早紀 (Kubota Saki)), is a Japanese…
Sayuri Kume (Japanese: 久米小百合 (Kume Sayuri)), also known as Saki Kubota (Japanese: 久保田早紀 (Kubota Saki)), is a Japanese singer-songwriter whose song Ihojin (1979) (Japanese: 異邦人) sold more than 1.4 million copies and reached number 1 in the Japanese singles chart. The song was used in the "Silk Road" television commercial for Sanyo. Her album Yumegatari (Japanese: 夢がたり) stayed at number 1 in the Oricon chart for seven consecutive weeks from 31 December 1979 to 11 February 1980. Her album Tenkai (Japanese: 天界) reached number 11 in the Japanese chart in 1980. Her album Saudade (Japanese: サウダーデ) reached number 54 in the Japanese chart. Her album Yoruno Sokowa Yawarakana Maboroshi (1984) has been described as her greatest masterpiece. Her single Nijūgoji (1980) (Japanese: 25時) reached number 19 in the Japanese chart. Her single Kugatsu No Iro (Japanese: 九月の色) (1980) reached number 51 in the Japanese chart. Her single Orange Airmail Special (Japanese: オレンジ・エアメール・スペシャル) (1981) reached number 62 in the Japanese chart. She appeared on The Best Ten, Yoru no Hit Studio, and Music Fair. She sang songs in the new music genre (Japanese: ニューミュージック, nyū myūjikku). She has been described as the standard bearer of that genre. She was awarded the female newcomer award (Japanese: 女性新人賞) at the 13th Japan Record Sales Awards (Japanese: 日本レコードセールス大賞) in 1980. In January 2020, a box set was released under the title Saki Kubota Premium to celebrate the 40th anniversary of her debut in 1979.
Junichi Hirokami (広上 淳一, Hirokami Jun'ichi; born May 5, 1958) is a Japanese conductor. Born in Tokyo, Hirokami studied…
Junichi Hirokami (広上 淳一, Hirokami Jun'ichi; born May 5, 1958) is a Japanese conductor. Born in Tokyo, Hirokami studied conducting, piano, musicology, and viola at the Tokyo College of Music. He won the first Kondrashin International Conducting Competition in Amsterdam in September 1984 at age 26. One of the judges of that competition, pianist Vladimir Ashkenazy, then engaged Hirokami to conduct the NHK Symphony Orchestra on a tour of Japan with Ashkenazy in May 1985. From 1991-1996, he was Chief Conductor of the Norrköping Symphony Orchestra. He served as Chief Conductor of the Limburg Symphony Orchestra from 1998 to 2000. He has also been the Principal Guest Conductor of both the Japan Philharmonic Orchestra and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. Hirokami became the music director of the Columbus Symphony Orchestra on June 1, 2006, with an initial contract for 3 years. During the orchestra's 2008 financial crisis, Hirokami strongly supported the musicians during a protracted contract dispute, which caused strained relations between Hirokami and the orchestra's board and management. On November 13, 2008, in a letter to the orchestra's musicians, Hirokami announced that the board of the Columbus Symphony Orchestra had dismissed him from his post, effective immediately. Since April 2008, he has served as Chief Conductor of the Kyoto Symphony Orchestra, with an initial contract of 3 years. Hirokami and his wife Yukari have a daughter, Kimiko. In 1973, pop singer Junko Sakurada's music inspired then 15-year-old Hirokami so that he started a fan club dedicated to her.
Atsuko Taneya, known professionally as Ako or Ako Dachs, is a Japanese actress who is the founding Artistic Director of…
Atsuko Taneya, known professionally as Ako or Ako Dachs, is a Japanese actress who is the founding Artistic Director of the Amaterasu Za theatre company. She received a Lucille Lortel Award nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in 2019.
Aiko Morishita (森下 愛子, Morishita Aiko; born 8 April 1958) is a Japanese actress who has appeared in a number of feature…
Aiko Morishita (森下 愛子, Morishita Aiko; born 8 April 1958) is a Japanese actress who has appeared in a number of feature films and television series. Her real name is Kayo Yoshida (吉田 佳代, Yoshida Kayo). Her husband is singer-songwriter Takuro Yoshida.
Sakiko Ito (伊藤 咲子, Itō Sakiko; born as Sakiko Chiba on April 2, 1958) is a Japanese singer.
Hiromi Kawakami (川上 弘美, Kawakami Hiromi; born April 1958) is a Japanese writer, known for her off-beat fiction, poetry…
Hiromi Kawakami (川上 弘美, Kawakami Hiromi; born April 1958) is a Japanese writer, known for her off-beat fiction, poetry, and literary criticism. She has won numerous Japanese literary awards, including the Akutagawa Prize, the Tanizaki Prize, the Yomiuri Prize, and the Izumi Kyōka Prize for Literature. Her work has been adapted for film and has been translated into more than 15 languages.
Masahito Arai (新井 正人, Arai Masahito) is a Japanese singer and composer. Debuting with the band Diary in 1977, he joined…
Masahito Arai (新井 正人, Arai Masahito) is a Japanese singer and composer. Debuting with the band Diary in 1977, he joined the group Pal in 1979 and had a solo debut in 1987, performing the song "Anime ja Nai" for the 1986 anime Mobile Suit Gundam ZZ.
Mari Igata (Japanese: 井形 マリ, romanized: Igata Mari; March 16, 1958 – August 13, 2024) was a pioneering Japanese…
Mari Igata (Japanese: 井形 マリ, romanized: Igata Mari; March 16, 1958 – August 13, 2024) was a pioneering Japanese professional Grand Prix motorcycle road racer. She would become the first woman to race in the Suzuka 8 Hours and the All Japan Road Race Championship. A member of the Showa era, Igata is remembered for breaking barriers for Japanese women in sport, as well as creating opportunities for the next generation with her Team Mari racing school. Igata was the elder sister of championship racer Tomoko Igata.
Alan Hale (March 7, 1958 – June 6, 2026) was an American professional astronomer who co-discovered Comet Hale–Bopp…
Alan Hale (March 7, 1958 – June 6, 2026) was an American professional astronomer who co-discovered Comet Hale–Bopp independently of its other co-discoverer, Thomas Bopp, an amateur astronomer. Hale specialized in the study of Sun-like stars and the search for extra-solar planetary systems, and had side interests in the fields of comets and near-Earth asteroids. He was an astronomer most of his life and served as the president of the Earthrise Institute, which he founded, and which has as its mission the use of astronomy as a tool for breaking down international and intercultural barriers. The International Astronomical Union (IAU) named an asteroid in Hale's honor, 4151 Alanhale, in recognition of his numerous comet observations.
Akio Yasuraoka (安良岡 章夫, Yasuraoka Akio) (born January 13, 1958) is a Japanese composer.
Hiroshi Yamada (山田 宏, Yamada Hiroshi) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party who is serving as a…
Hiroshi Yamada (山田 宏, Yamada Hiroshi) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party who is serving as a member of the House of Councillors. He is a former member of the House of Representatives and was the inaugural Secretary-General of the Party for Future Generations, an opposition party formed in August 2014.
Amon Miyamoto (宮本亞門; born January 4, 1958, in Tokyo) is a theater director. He has directed numerous productions in…
Amon Miyamoto (宮本亞門; born January 4, 1958, in Tokyo) is a theater director. He has directed numerous productions in Japan and worldwide, including musicals, straight plays, opera, kabuki, and other art genres. In 2004, he became the first Japanese director to direct a musical on Broadway when he directed the revival of Pacific Overtures. That production received four Tony Award nominations. Miyamoto made his directing debut with his original musical I Got Merman, winning the National Performing Arts Festival Award. He is a recipient of the Matsuyo Akimoto Award of the Asahi Performing Arts Awards. He served as the inaugural artistic director of Kanagawa Arts Theater (KAAT) from 2010 to 2014. Amon made his North American opera-directing debut in 2007 with the US premiere of Tan Dun's Tea: A Mirror of Soul at the Santa Fe Opera. His recent works in New York include The Temple of the Golden Pavilion at Lincoln Center Festival. His European opera credits include: The Magic Flute (Landestheater Linz in Austria), Le Pavillon d’Or (Opéra national du Rhin in France), Parsifal, and Madame Butterfly (Semperoper in Germany) which is also planned for the San Francisco Opera in 2023 and the Royal Danish Theatre in Copenhagen in 2024. He directed the pre-Broadway world premiere of The Karate Kid: The Musical on May 25, 2022, in St. Louis.
Taksu Cheon (全 卓樹, Zen Tasuku; born 1958) is a Japanese physicist notable for his work on quantum game theory and the…
Taksu Cheon (全 卓樹, Zen Tasuku; born 1958) is a Japanese physicist notable for his work on quantum game theory and the foundations of quantum mechanics.
Masaru Tomita (Japanese: 冨田 勝, Hepburn: Tomita Masaru; born December 28, 1957) is a Japanese life scientist and…
Masaru Tomita (Japanese: 冨田 勝, Hepburn: Tomita Masaru; born December 28, 1957) is a Japanese life scientist and computer scientist known for pioneering contributions to systems biology, metabolomics, artificial intelligence, and computational biology. He is Distinguished Professor at Keio University and Representative Director of Tsuruoka Science Park. He previously served as Dean of the Faculty of Environment and Information Studies and Director of the Institute for Advanced Biosciences at Keio University. Tomita holds four doctoral degrees in four different fields.
Masako Natsume (夏目 雅子, Natsume Masako; November 17, 1957 – September 11, 1985) was a Japanese actress from Tokyo.…
Masako Natsume (夏目 雅子, Natsume Masako; November 17, 1957 – September 11, 1985) was a Japanese actress from Tokyo. Widely popular in Japan, she gained worldwide recognition for her portrayal of Tripitaka in the TV series Monkey, which is now considered a cult classic.
Lin Tainan (Japanese: Lin Tainan/はやしやすお Hayashi Yasuo; December 15, 1957 – July 26, 2018) was a Japanese convicted…
Lin Tainan (Japanese: Lin Tainan/はやしやすお Hayashi Yasuo; December 15, 1957 – July 26, 2018) was a Japanese convicted murderer, terrorist and former member of the doomsday cult Aum Shinrikyo. He is of Korean descent, and changed his name to Koike Yasuo after taking his wife's surname. He was a former senior cadre of Aum Shinrikyo (Master Zhengwu, deputy minister of the Ministry of Science and Technology).
Takahiro Taguchi (田口 貴寛, Taguchi Takahiro; born December 8, 1957) is a former Japanese football player and manager.
Tomorowo Taguchi (田口 トモロヲ, Taguchi Tomorowo; born November 30, 1957) is a Japanese actor, film director and musician.…
Tomorowo Taguchi (田口 トモロヲ, Taguchi Tomorowo; born November 30, 1957) is a Japanese actor, film director and musician. After leaving Dokkyo University without graduating, he started to earn his living as an illustrator, writer and pornographic cartoonist. He joined a theatre called Hakken no Kai in 1978 and he made a screen debut in Zokubutsu Zukan (based on the book by Yasutaka Tsutsui) in 1982. He was also a prominent cult musician in the Tokyo underground scene with his band Bachikaburi in the 1980s and early 1990s. He is probably most well known to the West as the lead actor in Tetsuo and Tetsuo II directed by Shinya Tsukamoto. He also makes regular appearances in Takashi Miike's films. He became known to the Japanese public as a narrator for the TV documentary series Project X - Challengers which aired between 2000 and 2005 on NHK. Taguchi has directed 3 films, Iden & Tity in 2003, Shikisoku Generation in 2009, and Piece of Cake in 2015.
Yumi Maruyama (née Egami, Japanese: 丸山 由美; born 30 November 1957) is a Japanese former volleyball player who competed…
Yumi Maruyama (née Egami, Japanese: 丸山 由美; born 30 November 1957) is a Japanese former volleyball player who competed at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles and the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul. In 1984, Maruyama was a member of the Japanese team that won the bronze medal at the Olympic tournament. Four years later, she finished fourth with the Japanese team at the 1988 Olympic tournament.
Masahiro Yamada (山田 昌弘, Yamada Masahiro; born November 30, 1957) is a Japanese sociologist known for coining popular…
Masahiro Yamada (山田 昌弘, Yamada Masahiro; born November 30, 1957) is a Japanese sociologist known for coining popular sociological terms like parasite singles and gap-widening society (格差社会, kakusa shakai). A graduate of University of Tokyo, he now teaches at Tokyo Gakugei University as professor.
Yasutaro Matsuki (松木 安太郎, Matsuki Yasutarō; born November 28, 1957) is a former Japanese football player and manager.…
Yasutaro Matsuki (松木 安太郎, Matsuki Yasutarō; born November 28, 1957) is a former Japanese football player and manager. He played for Japan national team. He also worked as a football commentator.
Kōichi Watanabe (渡辺 孝一, Watanabe Kōichi; 25 November 1957 – 17 September 2026) was a Japanese politician of the Liberal…
Kōichi Watanabe (渡辺 孝一, Watanabe Kōichi; 25 November 1957 – 17 September 2026) was a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, who served as a member of the House of Representatives.
Tetsuo Sakurai (櫻井(桜井) 哲夫, Sakurai Tetsuo; born 13 November 1957) is a Japanese bassist. To date, he has released a…
Tetsuo Sakurai (櫻井(桜井) 哲夫, Sakurai Tetsuo; born 13 November 1957) is a Japanese bassist. To date, he has released a total of 37 albums as a member of Casiopea and Jimsaku and as a solo artist, and has also made 3 bass instructional videos.
Makoto Fujita (藤田 誠, Fujita Makoto) is a Japanese chemist who specializes in supramolecular coordination chemistry. He…
Makoto Fujita (藤田 誠, Fujita Makoto) is a Japanese chemist who specializes in supramolecular coordination chemistry. He is the Distinguished Professor at the University of Tokyo and a Foreign Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (AAAS).
Tsuyoshi Ujiki (氏木 毅（うじき つよし）, Ujiki Tsuyoshi; born September 18, 1957, in Setagaya, Tokyo, Japan) is a Japanese…
Tsuyoshi Ujiki (氏木 毅（うじき つよし）, Ujiki Tsuyoshi; born September 18, 1957, in Setagaya, Tokyo, Japan) is a Japanese entertainer, actor, musician, and singer who is represented by the talent agencies Heart Cleaning Company, then Flos. His nicknamed Jick (stylized as JICK) from his surname. Along with Seiji Katsu, he was a member of Kodomo Band.
Kōji Kobayashi (小林 光二, Kobayashi Kōji; born August 27, 1957) is a retired Japanese professional boxer who is a former…
Kōji Kobayashi (小林 光二, Kobayashi Kōji; born August 27, 1957) is a retired Japanese professional boxer who is a former WBC and lineal flyweight champion.
Shigeru Ban (坂 茂, Ban Shigeru; born 5 August 1957) is a Japanese architect, known for his innovative work with paper…
Shigeru Ban (坂 茂, Ban Shigeru; born 5 August 1957) is a Japanese architect, known for his innovative work with paper, particularly recycled cardboard tubes used to quickly and efficiently house disaster victims. Many of his notable designs are structures which are temporary, prefabricated, or incorporate inexpensive and unconventional materials in innovative ways. He was profiled by Time magazine in their projection of 21st-century innovators in the field of architecture and design. In 2014, Ban was named the 37th recipient of the Pritzker Architecture Prize, the most prestigious prize in modern architecture. The Pritzker Jury cited Ban for his innovative use of material and his dedication to humanitarian efforts around the world, calling him "a committed teacher who is not only a role model for younger generation, but also an inspiration."
Makoto Gonokami (五神 真, Gonokami Makoto; born 1957) is a Japanese professor of science and engineering at the University…
Makoto Gonokami (五神 真, Gonokami Makoto; born 1957) is a Japanese professor of science and engineering at the University of Tokyo (UTokyo), mostly in the field of physics. He served as the 30th president of UTokyo, after succeeding Junichi Hamada who retired in 2015, and until March 2021. After his presidency at UTokyo, he has served as the president of Riken since 2022. He works in the graduate school of science, school of engineering in the institution before being dean in graduate school of science and vice president of the university. He holds a PhD in optical physics at University of Tokyo and most of his research based on Quantum physics and participate in Center for Quantum Materials. He served as the chair of IARU for two years (2018–2020).
Shinobu Otake (大竹 しのぶ, Ōtake Shinobu; born July 17, 1957) is a Japanese actress. She has won three Japanese Academy…
Shinobu Otake (大竹 しのぶ, Ōtake Shinobu; born July 17, 1957) is a Japanese actress. She has won three Japanese Academy Awards: the 2000 Best Actress award for Railroad Man, and the 1979 awards for both Best Actress for The Incident, and Best Supporting Actress for Seishoku no ishibumi. She also won the award for best actress at the 12th Hochi Film Award for Eien no 1/2. At the 25th Moscow International Film Festival she won the award for Best Actress for her role in Owl. She has received a total of twelve nominations. She was the favoured lead actress of director Kaneto Shindo after his previous lead actress, Nobuko Otowa, died in 1994, and featured in four of his films from Will to Live (1999) and Postcard (2011). Otake has also acted on the stage. She performed during the last segment of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics Closing Ceremony along Tokyo’s Suginami Children Chorus, singing the song "Hoshimeguri no Uta" (Star Tour Song) composed by Kenji Miyazawa, as the Olympic flame was extinguished. Otake had a leading role of Dr. Ruth Wolff in a Japanese stage adaptation of The Doctor (2021).
Kazunori "Toshio" Shinozuka (篠塚 和典, Shinozuka Kazunori; born July 16, 1957) is a former professional Japanese baseball…
Kazunori "Toshio" Shinozuka (篠塚 和典, Shinozuka Kazunori; born July 16, 1957) is a former professional Japanese baseball player. As a boy, Ichiro Suzuki learned to pattern his original swinging pendulum leg kick after Shinozuka's.
Rino Katase (かたせ梨乃, Katase Rino; born 8 May 1957) is a Japanese actress. She won the Award for Best Supporting Actress…
Rino Katase (かたせ梨乃, Katase Rino; born 8 May 1957) is a Japanese actress. She won the Award for Best Supporting Actress at the 11th Japan Academy Prize for Yakuza Wives II and Yoshiwara Enjō.
Yasuhito Yamamoto (Japanese: 山本康人, Hepburn: Yamamoto Yasuhito; born 1957) is a Japanese manga artist from Tokyo. He…
Yasuhito Yamamoto (Japanese: 山本康人, Hepburn: Yamamoto Yasuhito; born 1957) is a Japanese manga artist from Tokyo. He made his debut in 1980 in Young Jump with a gag-comedy manga before turning to more serious dramas. He won the 1994 Kodansha Manga Award for general manga for Tetsujin Ganma.
Yasuhiko Fukuda (福田 裕彦, Fukuda Yasuhiko; born May 3, 1957) is a Japanese composer and keyboardist.
Kenji Kawai (川井 憲次, Kawai Kenji; born April 23, 1957) is a Japanese music composer and arranger. Known as one of the…
Kenji Kawai (川井 憲次, Kawai Kenji; born April 23, 1957) is a Japanese music composer and arranger. Known as one of the biggest names in the soundtrack world, he has worked on a wide range of mixed media productions, including anime, TV shows, films, video games and ice shows. Among his credits are Toei's: Kamen Rider Heisei Generations Forever, Tsui Hark's Seven Swords and Young Detective Dee: Rise of the Sea Dragon; Wilson Yip's Ip Man; Mamoru Oshii's films: The Red Spectacles, StrayDog: Kerberos Panzer Cops, Ghost in the Shell, Mobile Police Patlabor and Assault Girls. He also worked on the OVA and TV anime adaptations of: Vampire Princess Miyu, The Sky Crawlers and Avalon; the anime adaptations of Rumiko Takahashi's Ranma ½ and Maison Ikkoku; the live-action adaptation of Gantz and Hideo Nakata's films: Ring, Ring 2, Chaos, Dark Water and Kaidan. His nephew, Hidehiro Kawai, is a bassist in Fox Capture Plan, an instrumental band.
Toshiyuki Honda (本多 俊之, Honda Toshiyuki; born April 9, 1957) is a Japanese jazz musician and composer. Honda's father…
Toshiyuki Honda (本多 俊之, Honda Toshiyuki; born April 9, 1957) is a Japanese jazz musician and composer. Honda's father was a jazz critic, whose name was also Toshiyuki Honda. As a jazz musician, he learned flute and saxophone, and worked in the late 1970s with George Otsuka and the Burning Waves ensemble. In the 1980s he worked with Chick Corea, Tatsuya Takahashi, and Kazumi Watanabe, as well as leading his own ensemble, Super Quartet. He was also a member of the ensemble Native Son. Starting in the late 1980s, Honda turned increasingly toward composing for film and television, as well as working in record producing. He composed the soundtrack for the Juzo Itami film A Taxing Woman in 1987, which raised his prominence as a film scorer. He went on to compose the score for all but one of the rest of Itami's films.
Nobuyoshi Kuwano (桑野 信義, Kuwano Nobuyoshi; born April 4, 1957 in Ōta, Tokyo) is a Japanese television performer, former…
Nobuyoshi Kuwano (桑野 信義, Kuwano Nobuyoshi; born April 4, 1957 in Ōta, Tokyo) is a Japanese television performer, former member of Rats & Star. His nickname is "Kuwa-man" (桑マン). In Rats & Star, he took charge of the trumpet and vocals. After the group broke up, he shifted to a television comedian and co-starred with The Drifters' Ken Shimura and Masashi Tashiro. He took over as lead vocalist of Rats & Star during Masayuki Suzuki's solo concert tour. He appears in some Japanese television programs as a performer. He was disappointed by Masashi Tashiro's arrest. He also said to Tashiro in public, "It's disappointing. Please atone for your crimes and thoroughly cleanse your body and soul" following Tashiro's retirement from the entertainment world.
Tsukasa Watanabe (Japanese: 渡辺司, born 16 February 1957) is a Japanese professional golfer.
Daisuke Ryu (Japanese: 隆大介, Korean: 장명남, Jang Myeong-nam, hanja: 張明男; 14 January 1957 – 11 April 2021) was a Japanese…
Daisuke Ryu (Japanese: 隆大介, Korean: 장명남, Jang Myeong-nam, hanja: 張明男; 14 January 1957 – 11 April 2021) was a Japanese actor of Korean descent. He won the Japanese "best new actor" Blue Ribbon Award for his performance as the warlord Oda Nobunaga in Akira Kurosawa's Kagemusha. His other notable performances include Saburo Ichimonji in another Kurosawa epic, Ran, and the legendary yamabushi, Musashibo Benkei, in Sogo Ishii's critically acclaimed Gojoe: Spirit War Chronicle. In 'The Ginger Tree' (based on the novel by Oswald Wynd), Daisuke Ryu played Count Kentaro Kurihama. On March 21, 2015, Ryu travelled to Taiwan, where he was to perform in the Martin Scorsese film Silence. Upon arrival at Taoyuan International Airport, he was stopped by immigration officials due to having an incomplete entry form. Ryu, who was intoxicated at the time, engaged in an altercation with one of the officers, who sustained a fractured leg. He was indicted and prohibited from leaving Taiwan, and subsequently fired from the production of Silence. In May, 2015, Ryu reconciled with the injured official and publicly apologized for his actions. In June, he was fined by Taiwanese courts for his part in the incident and allowed to return to Japan.
Hiromu Kurokawa (黒川 弘務 Kurokawa Hiromu; born February 8, 1957) is a Japanese prosecutor who served as chief of the…
Hiromu Kurokawa (黒川 弘務 Kurokawa Hiromu; born February 8, 1957) is a Japanese prosecutor who served as chief of the Tokyo High Public Prosecutors Office from January 2019 to May 2020. The extension of his term of office by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in February 2020, followed by his resignation for misconduct in May 2020, sparked political controversy in Japan.
Hideo Yokoyama (横山 秀夫, Yokoyama Hideo; born 1957) is a Japanese novelist who specializes in mystery novels. He is also…
Hideo Yokoyama (横山 秀夫, Yokoyama Hideo; born 1957) is a Japanese novelist who specializes in mystery novels. He is also known for his career as a journalist for the Jomo Shimbun, the regional paper in Gunma. He repeated his Kono Mystery ga Sugoi! No. 1 ranking in 2013 with Six Four (64). The English edition of Six Four, translated by Jonathan Lloyd-Davies, was shortlisted for the 2016 CWA International Dagger.