Fumino Sugiyama (杉山文野, Sugiyama Fumino; born August 10, 1981) is a Japanese transgender activist and former fencer. He…Fumino Sugiyama (杉山文野, Sugiyama Fumino; born August 10, 1981) is a Japanese transgender activist and former fencer. He is a co-representative director of Tokyo Rainbow Pride, an annual festival that celebrates Tokyo's LGBT community and has served as a member of the Shibuya Ward Gender Equality and Diversity Society Promotion Council, a director of the Japan Fencing Association, and the Japanese Olympic Committee. He has also authored several books, including Double Happiness in 2006.
Mariko Kawana (Japanese: 川奈まり子, Hepburn: Kawana Mariko) (born November 9, 1967) began the most notable phase of her…Mariko Kawana (Japanese: 川奈まり子, Hepburn: Kawana Mariko) (born November 9, 1967) began the most notable phase of her life as a Japanese model and actress who has appeared in softcore pink film and V-Cinema, and who has also been a hardcore adult video (AV) performer and director. She was one of the earliest AV actresses in the "mature woman" or "madame" (jukujo) category of performers. She is now retired as an actress and has returned to her pre-acting career as a writer.
Akie Abe (安倍 昭恵, Abe Akie; née Matsuzaki; born 10 June 1962) is the widow of Shinzo Abe, who served as Prime Minister…Akie Abe (安倍 昭恵, Abe Akie; née Matsuzaki; born 10 June 1962) is the widow of Shinzo Abe, who served as Prime Minister of Japan from 2006 to 2007 and again from 2012 to 2020.
Yōichi Takahashi (高橋 陽一, Takahashi Yōichi; born 28 July 1960) is a Japanese cartoonist and manga artist, best known for…Yōichi Takahashi (高橋 陽一, Takahashi Yōichi; born 28 July 1960) is a Japanese cartoonist and manga artist, best known for his work Captain Tsubasa. Takahashi has published art books, manga, novels, and guides, most of which are about Captain Tsubasa. He is also known for his soccer series, Hungry Heart: Wild Striker. He is currently the chairman of Nankatsu SC. Yoichi Takahashi visited FC Barcelona, Tsubasa Oozora's Spanish football club in the manga, on 17 January 2016 as a guest of the club. In 2018, Takahashi received the Honorary Citizen Award from Katsushika for his contributions to the city through his manga.
Yoshihiro Tamogami (田母神 慈宏, Tamogami Yoshihiro; born May 15, 1959 in Tokyo), better known by his pen name Hiroshi Aro…Yoshihiro Tamogami (田母神 慈宏, Tamogami Yoshihiro; born May 15, 1959 in Tokyo), better known by his pen name Hiroshi Aro (あろ ひろし, Aro Hiroshi), is a Japanese manga artist. He is mostly known for being the author of Futaba-Kun Change!, Morumo 1/10 and Yuu and Mii. Aro worked as an assistant to manga artist Osamu Akimoto. He admitted that Futaba-kun Change! was created to be his version of Ranma ½ by Rumiko Takahashi, just as Yuu & Mi was his version of Takahashi's Maison Ikkoku. Aro makes guest appearances in his own comics, drawing himself as an alligator wearing glasses.
Fusako Shigenobu (Japanese: 重信 房子, romanized: Shigenobu Fusako; IPA: [ɕiɡe̞no̞bɯ̟ ɸɯ̟sa̠ko̞]; born September 28, 1945)…Fusako Shigenobu (Japanese: 重信 房子, romanized: Shigenobu Fusako; IPA: [ɕiɡe̞no̞bɯ̟ ɸɯ̟sa̠ko̞]; born September 28, 1945) is a Japanese communist activist, writer, and the founder and leader of the now-disbanded militant group Japanese Red Army (JRA). Born in Japan, Shigenobu became involved in New Left activism while attending night school at Meiji University in Tokyo. In 1969, she joined the Red Army Faction (RAF), a communist group that advocated immediate, armed revolution against the governments of the United States and Japan. Eventually becoming one of its senior leaders, Shigenobu played a significant role in establishing the International Relations Bureau for the organization. In 1971, she helped found the JRA as an offshoot of the RAF. That same year, Shigenobu and the JRA relocated to the Middle East in an effort to start a world revolution, therefore she came in contact with terror groups within Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). During the 1970s and 1980s, members of the JRA took part in a number of violent incidents, including bombings, mass shootings, and hijackings. Although Shigenobu did not directly participate in these activities, during this time she attained international fame as the leader and public-facing spokesperson for the JRA. Under her leadership, the JRA allied with Palestinian militant groups to carry out high-profile terrorist attacks globally, most notably the Lod Airport Massacre (at what is now Ben Gurion Airport) on May 30, 1972. Arriving in the baggage area, the gunmen pulled assault rifles and grenades from violin cases and fired indiscriminately into the crowd. 26 people were murdered (mostly Puerto Rican pilgrims and Israeli citizens) and over 80 were injured. Two attackers died during the assault, while the third, Kozo Okamoto, was captured. Shigenobu coordinated logistics and provided political backing for the attack. Despite initially supporting Terror acts, in later years Shigenobu expressed remorse about her involvement with violent militancy, and focused on grassroots support for and solidarity with the Palestinian people. Throughout her years in hiding and later imprisonment, Shigenobu authored 10 books, including a book of poetry. Following her arrest in 2000 after several years of hiding, Shigenobu was put on trial for passport forgery and conspiracy involving an attempted hostage-taking operation at the French Embassy in The Hague in 1974. She was sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2006 and released in 2022.
Michiko Kanba (Japanese: 樺 美智子; November 8, 1937 – June 15, 1960) was a Japanese communist, University of Tokyo…Michiko Kanba (Japanese: 樺 美智子; November 8, 1937 – June 15, 1960) was a Japanese communist, University of Tokyo undergraduate and Zengakuren activist. She died in clashes between demonstrators and police at the South Gate of the National Diet Building in central Tokyo at the height of the 1960 Anpo Protests against the US–Japan Security Treaty.
Yoko Ono (Japanese: 小野 洋子, romanized: Ono Yōko, usually spelled in katakana as オノ・ヨーコ; born February 18, 1933) is a…Yoko Ono (Japanese: 小野 洋子, romanized: Ono Yōko, usually spelled in katakana as オノ・ヨーコ; born February 18, 1933) is a Japanese retired artist, musician, and peace activist. Her work also encompasses performance art and filmmaking. Ono was born and grew up in Tokyo and moved to New York City in 1952 to join her family. She became involved with New York City's downtown artists scene in the early 1960s, which included the Fluxus group, and became widely known outside the contemporary art world in 1969 when she married English musician John Lennon of the Beatles, with whom she would subsequently record as a duo in the Plastic Ono Band. The couple used their honeymoon as a stage for public protests against the Vietnam War with what they called a bed-in. She and Lennon remained married until he was murdered in front of the couple's apartment building, The Dakota, on December 8, 1980. Together, they had one son, Sean, who later also became a musician. Ono began a career in popular music in 1969, forming the Plastic Ono Band with Lennon and producing a number of avant-garde music albums in the 1970s. She achieved commercial and critical success in 1980 with the chart-topping album Double Fantasy, a collaboration with Lennon which was released three weeks before his murder, winning the Grammy Award for Album of the Year. To date, she has had twelve number one singles on the US Dance charts, and in 2016 was named the 11th most successful dance club artist of all time by Billboard magazine. Many musicians have paid tribute to Ono as an artist in her own right and as a muse and icon, including the B-52's, Sonic Youth and Meredith Monk. As Lennon's widow, Ono works to preserve his legacy. She funded the Strawberry Fields memorial in Manhattan's Central Park, the Imagine Peace Tower in Iceland, and the John Lennon Museum in Saitama, Japan (which closed in 2010). She has made significant philanthropic contributions to the arts, peace and disaster relief in Japan and the Philippines, and other such causes. In 2002, she inaugurated a biennial $50,000 LennonOno Grant for Peace. In 2012, she received the Dr. Rainer Hildebrandt Human Rights Award and co-founded the group Artists Against Fracking.
Hisae Sawachi (Japanese: 澤地久枝, Japanese: さわち ひさえ born 3 September 1930) is a Japanese writer, magazine editor and…Hisae Sawachi (Japanese: 澤地久枝, Japanese: さわち ひさえ born 3 September 1930) is a Japanese writer, magazine editor and anti-nuclear activist. She is known for her non-fiction writing on Japan's Shōwa era and wartime experiences as well as for her autobiographical work. She is a recipient of the Asahi Prize, the Kikuchi Kan Prize and the Japan Women Broadcasters Association Award.
Toru Miyoshi (Japanese: 三好達 Miyoshi Tōru; 31 October 1927 – 6 March 2023) was a prominent Japanese jurist and political…Toru Miyoshi (Japanese: 三好達 Miyoshi Tōru; 31 October 1927 – 6 March 2023) was a prominent Japanese jurist and political activist. He held the position of Chief Justice of Japan from 1995 to 1997. Miyoshi also served as the third president and later as honorary Chairman of Nippon Kaigi. He died in Tokyo on 6 March 2023, at the age of 95.
Shunsuke Tsurumi (鶴見 俊輔, Tsurumi Shunsuke; June 25, 1922 – July 20, 2015) was a Japanese philosopher, historian, and…Shunsuke Tsurumi (鶴見 俊輔, Tsurumi Shunsuke; June 25, 1922 – July 20, 2015) was a Japanese philosopher, historian, and sociologist.
Michiko Inukai (犬養 道子, Inukai Michiko; 20 April 1921 – 24 July 2017) was a Japanese Roman Catholic author and…Michiko Inukai (犬養 道子, Inukai Michiko; 20 April 1921 – 24 July 2017) was a Japanese Roman Catholic author and philanthropist. She was the founder of the Michiko Inukai Foundation, which provides financial aid for refugees seeking education.
Mutsuko Miki (三木 睦子, Miki Mutsuko; 31 July 1917 – 31 July 2012) was a Japanese activist who advocated on behalf of…Mutsuko Miki (三木 睦子, Miki Mutsuko; 31 July 1917 – 31 July 2012) was a Japanese activist who advocated on behalf of pacifism, official compensation for comfort women, and improved Japan–North Korea relations. She was the widow of former Japanese Prime Minister Takeo Miki. Miki served as the wife of the Prime Minister of Japan, or First Lady, during her husband's two-year tenure from 1974 to 1976.
Michio Asanuma (浅沼 美智雄, Asanuma Michio; November 19, 1915 – 2001; also written as 浅沼 美知雄, Asanuma Michio) was a…Michio Asanuma (浅沼 美智雄, Asanuma Michio; November 19, 1915 – 2001; also written as 浅沼 美知雄, Asanuma Michio) was a Japanese political activist and right-wing activist. He served as vice representative and supreme advisor of the Greater Japan Patriotic Groups Federation – Current Affairs Countermeasures Council (大日本愛国団体連合・時局対策協議会, Jitaikyō or Jitaitai Kyō); editor-in-chief and director of the Anti-Communist Newspaper Company; participant and supreme advisor of the Greater Japan Patriotic Party; captain and advisor of the Anti-Communist Volunteer Corps; advisor to the Student Movement Pure Alliance; caretaker of the All-Japan Patriots Friendship Association; second-generation representative of the Greater Japan Patriotic Groups Federation; advisor to the Gakunan Gijuku; advisor to the Speech Comrades Association; and representative of the Imperial Way National Federation.
Ayako Ishigaki (石垣 綾子, Ishigaki Ayako; 1903 – 1996) was an Issei journalist, activist, and feminist, who was among the…Ayako Ishigaki (石垣 綾子, Ishigaki Ayako; 1903 – 1996) was an Issei journalist, activist, and feminist, who was among the first Japanese American women to publish a memoir in English.
Cho Bong-am (Korean: 조봉암; Hanja: 曺奉岩, 25 September 1898 – 31 July 1959) was a Korean socialist independence activist…Cho Bong-am (Korean: 조봉암; Hanja: 曺奉岩, 25 September 1898 – 31 July 1959) was a Korean socialist independence activist and politician, who ran for president in the South Korean presidential election in 1956. He was a founding member of the Communist Party of Korea (조선공산당; 朝鮮共産黨) and the Progressive Party (진보당; 進步黨), a moderate socialist democratic party in South Korea which was one of the country's major political forces. In 1919, Cho Bong-am participated in March 1st Movement and was imprisoned for the duration of one year. Cho Bong-am studied in Japan and the Soviet Union. In the 1920s, he was active in the Korean Communist Party. After Japanese rule, Cho left the Communist Party in 1946, criticising it for its subservience to the Soviet Union. After the end of the United States Army Military Government in Korea in 1947, Cho became the Minister of Agriculture under Syngman Rhee's presidency. In 1952, Cho ran for the presidency for the first time against sitting president Rhee, and Yi Si-yeong. He received only 0.8 million votes out of 5.2 million. The left-liberal Progressive Party was founded in the aftermath of the Korean War under Cho's leadership. Cho and his followers were able to build a wide coalition with the country's leftist forces. Cho also successfully created coalitions with right-wing forces opposed to Syngman Rhee's dictatorship. The party's founding and moderate success in Korea's hostile political environment is considered a large result of Bong-am's personal charisma. The Progressive Party advocated peaceful unification with North Korea, through strengthening the country's democratic forces and winning in a unified Korean election. Cho called for both anti-communist and anti-authoritarian politics, as well as advocating for social welfare policies for the peasants and urban poor. In the 1956 election, Cho ran against Rhee, the anti-communist strongman president. Cho lost with 30% of the vote, which exceeded expectations. Following the election, the Progressive Party broke apart due to factionalism. Three years after the election, Cho was charged with espionage and receiving funds from North Korea. His first trial resulted in an acquittal but he was convicted in a second trial and was executed on 31 July 1959. His death sentence was posthumously overturned in 2011 by the South Korean Supreme Court.
Kim Seong-su (Korean: 김성수; Hanja: 金性洙; October 11, 1891 – February 18, 1955), art name Inchon, was a Korean educator…Kim Seong-su (Korean: 김성수; Hanja: 金性洙; October 11, 1891 – February 18, 1955), art name Inchon, was a Korean educator, independence activist, journalist, entrepreneur, politician, and calligrapher. He served as the second Vice President of South Korea from 1951 to 1952. Kim Seong-su founded Korea University and The Dong-A Ilbo. He graduated from Waseda University in Tokyo, Japan, majoring in Political Science and Economics.
Song Jin-woo (Korean: 송진우, 8 May 1889 – 30 December 1945) was a Korean independence activist, journalist, and…Song Jin-woo (Korean: 송진우, 8 May 1889 – 30 December 1945) was a Korean independence activist, journalist, and politician. His art name was Goha (고하; 古下). He was the 3rd, 6th and 8th CEO of the Dong-a Ilbo and the founding leader of the Korea Democratic Party. In 1945, he was assassinated by Han Hyeon-woo, a member of the far-right terrorist group the White Shirts Society.
Hong Myong-hui or Hong Myung-hee (Korean: 홍명희; Hanja: 洪命熹; July 3, 1888 – March 5, 1968) was a Korean novelist during…Hong Myong-hui or Hong Myung-hee (Korean: 홍명희; Hanja: 洪命熹; July 3, 1888 – March 5, 1968) was a Korean novelist during the colonial period, and later a North Korean novelist and state official. He was born in Dongbu-ri, Goesan county, North Chungcheong Province, where he took part in the 3.1 Movement in 1919. In the 1920s, he served as an editor of The Dong-A Ilbo. Hong also was part of the Korean nationalist group Singanhoe which was founded in 1927. Hong founded the Democratic Independent Party with his comrades An Jae-hong, Kim Byung-ro, Kim Ho, Pak Yong-hee, I Kuk-ro and Kim Won-yong on 19 October 1947. Hong then became the chairman of the party. After the Korean War, he occupied various important positions in North Korea. He is buried in the Patriotic Martyrs' Cemetery in Hyongjesan-guyok, Pyongyang, North Korea. His grandson, Hong Sok-jung, is also a well known North Korean author.
Hiratsuka Raichō (平塚 らいちょう, transliterated らいてう according to the historical kana orthography; born Hiratsuka Haru, 平塚…Hiratsuka Raichō (平塚 らいちょう, transliterated らいてう according to the historical kana orthography; born Hiratsuka Haru, 平塚 明; February 10, 1886 – May 24, 1971) was a Japanese writer, journalist, political activist, anarchist, and pioneering feminist in Japan.
Lee In (Korean: 이인; Hanja: 李仁; September 20, 1896 – April 5, 1979) was a South Korean politician and lawyer who served…Lee In (Korean: 이인; Hanja: 李仁; September 20, 1896 – April 5, 1979) was a South Korean politician and lawyer who served as the first minister of justice for South Korea from August 2, 1948, to June 5, 1949.
Cho Man-sik (Korean: 조만식; 1 February 1883 – ?), also known by his art name Godang (고당), was a Korean independence…Cho Man-sik (Korean: 조만식; 1 February 1883 – ?), also known by his art name Godang (고당), was a Korean independence activist. He became involved in the power struggle that enveloped North Korea in the months following the Japanese surrender after World War II. Originally, Cho was supported by the Soviet Union for the eventual rule of North Korea. However, due to his opposition to the USA proposed trusteeship, Cho lost Soviet support and was forced from power by the Soviet-backed and pro Soviet communists in the north (a predecessor of the Workers' Party of Korea). Placed under house arrest in January 1946, he later disappeared into the North Korean prison system, where confirmed reports of him end. He is generally believed to have been executed soon after the start of the Korean War, possibly in October 1950.
Merrell Vories Hitotsuyanagi, also known as Mereru Hitotsuyanagi (一柳 米来留, Hitotsuyanagi Mereru); born William Merrell…Merrell Vories Hitotsuyanagi, also known as Mereru Hitotsuyanagi (一柳 米来留, Hitotsuyanagi Mereru); born William Merrell Vories (October 28, 1880 – May 7, 1964), was an educator, architect, entrepreneur, Christian lay missionary, and founder of the Omi Mission. Born in the United States, he later became a naturalized Japanese citizen. Merrell lived and worked mainly in Shiga Prefecture in Japan. With only limited formal training as an architect, he founded an architectural office in Shiga which employed over thirty professional staff and was responsible for the design of well over 1000 residential, commercial, and church structures in Japan and occupied Korea, prior to the Second World War.
Zhang Shizhao (simplified Chinese: 章士钊; traditional Chinese: 章士釗; pinyin: Zhāng Shìzhāo; Wade–Giles: Chang Shih-chao…Zhang Shizhao (simplified Chinese: 章士钊; traditional Chinese: 章士釗; pinyin: Zhāng Shìzhāo; Wade–Giles: Chang Shih-chao; 20 March 1881 – 1 July 1973), courtesy name Xingyan, pen name Huangzhonghuang, Qingtong or Qiutong, was a Chinese journalist, educator, politician of the early 20th century known for his advocacy first of revolutionary cultural values in the period leading up to the 1911 Revolution and then of traditional Confucian culture in following years. From the early years of the 20th century, Zhang edited a series of widely read journals and in the 1910s and 20s conducted respectful debates with New Culture Movement advocates of deep change and promoted Classical Chinese writing and protested written vernacular Chinese. He was the Minister of Justice and Minister of Education of the Beiyang Government, led by Duan Qirui during the Republic of China period. He was a senator in the Republic of China government and a standing committee member of the National People's Congress of the People's Republic of China and a standing committee member of the CPPCC in PRC. He was the president of the Central Research Institute of Culture and History. In 1949, Zhang was among a group of non-Communist intellectuals who reached out to Mao Zedong.