Reika Kirishima (霧島れいか, Kirishima Reika; born 5 August 1972) is a Japanese film and television actress active since…Reika Kirishima (霧島れいか, Kirishima Reika; born 5 August 1972) is a Japanese film and television actress active since 1997. Her first feature movie was Godzilla: Final Wars and first television show was Strawberry Night.
Lynn (りん, Rin; born June 1) is a Japanese voice actress affiliated with Arts Vision. She is known primarily for her…Lynn (りん, Rin; born June 1) is a Japanese voice actress affiliated with Arts Vision. She is known primarily for her performances in anime. She voiced Columbina in Genshin Impact, Nozomi Kaminashi in Keijo, Fuuka Akitsuki in Fuuka, Ayano Yugiri in Engage Kiss, and Miorine Rembran in Mobile Suit Gundam: The Witch from Mercury.
Kazuyuki Sekiguchi (関口 和之, Sekiguchi Kazuyuki; born December 21, 1955 in Niigata Prefecture) is a Japanese musician…Kazuyuki Sekiguchi (関口 和之, Sekiguchi Kazuyuki; born December 21, 1955 in Niigata Prefecture) is a Japanese musician, best known for playing the bass guitar for Southern All Stars. As a solo artist, he has played ukulele. He is a fan of Hawaiian music, and is the founder of the annual Ukulele Picnic music festival in Hawaii. For over thirty years, Sekiguchi has worked with Akira Sakuma in the Momotaro Dentetsu video game series as a music composer.
Mao Kobayashi (小林 麻央, Kobayashi Mao; 21 July 1982 – 22 June 2017) was a Japanese freelance newscaster and actress. She…Mao Kobayashi (小林 麻央, Kobayashi Mao; 21 July 1982 – 22 June 2017) was a Japanese freelance newscaster and actress. She was also one of Fuji TV's weathercasters.
Yuho Iwasato (岩里 祐穂, Iwasato Yūho; born December 3, 1957) is a Japanese lyricist and essayist. Born in Niigata, she…Yuho Iwasato (岩里 祐穂, Iwasato Yūho; born December 3, 1957) is a Japanese lyricist and essayist. Born in Niigata, she debuted as a singer-songwriter in 1980 under the name "Yuko Iwasaki," and transitioned to full-time lyricist in 1988 following her collaborations with Miki Imai. Iwasato has collaborated with multiple music producers, including Tomoyasu Hotei, Yoko Kanno, Yobun Teraoka, Jeff Miyahara, and Katsutoshi Kitagawa of Round Table, and is known for her work across multiple genres, including hits for Japanese idol artists and anime songs. She has provided lyrics to artists including Chiemi Hori, Miho Nakayama, Miki Imai, Maaya Sakamoto, Yui Aragaki, Tomoyasu Hotei, Kana Hanazawa, May J., Momoiro Clover Z, and Sexy Zone (formerly Sexy Zone), as well as theme songs for anime such as The Vision of Escaflowne, Cardcaptor Sakura, Macross Frontier, Cowboy Bebop, and The Ancient Magus' Bride, as well as TV series such as Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger. In 2009, she received the Silver Prize from the Japanese Society for Rights of Authors, Composers and Publishers for her work on "Genesis of Aquarion."
Tatsuo Ozawa (小沢 辰男, Ozawa Tatsuo; 7 December 1916 – 13 October 2013) was a Japanese politician who served as minister…Tatsuo Ozawa (小沢 辰男, Ozawa Tatsuo; 7 December 1916 – 13 October 2013) was a Japanese politician who served as minister of health and welfare, construction minister, and head of the Environment Agency. Born in Niigata City as the son of House of Representatives member Kuniji Ozawa, and a graduate of Tokyo Imperial University's Law Department (School of Political Science), Ozawa joined the Home Ministry upon graduation. When that ministry was abolished in 1947, he was transferred to the Welfare Ministry. He first won a seat in the House of Representatives in 1960, (on an LDP ticket) and served 13 consecutive terms. In 1994, he founded the Niigata University of International and Information Studies. Ozawa founded the Reform Club (Japanese: 改革クラブ) political party in 1998, and served as its leader until his retirement from politics in 2000.
Makiko Kikuta (菊田 真紀子, Kikuta Makiko; born 24 October 1969) is a Japanese politician who has served as a member of the…Makiko Kikuta (菊田 真紀子, Kikuta Makiko; born 24 October 1969) is a Japanese politician who has served as a member of the House of Representatives since 2003.
Chinami Nishimura (西村 智奈美, Nishimura Chinami; born 13 January 1967) is a Japanese politician who served as the…Chinami Nishimura (西村 智奈美, Nishimura Chinami; born 13 January 1967) is a Japanese politician who served as the Secretary-General of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan from 2021 to 2022. She is a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet and represents the Niigata 1st district. Her married name is Chinami Honda (本多 智奈美, Honda Chinami).
Ken Watanabe (渡辺 謙, Watanabe Ken; born October 21, 1959) is a Japanese actor. He is best known for playing tragic hero…Ken Watanabe (渡辺 謙, Watanabe Ken; born October 21, 1959) is a Japanese actor. He is best known for playing tragic hero characters, such as General Tadamichi Kuribayashi in Letters from Iwo Jima and Lord Katsumoto Moritsugu in The Last Samurai, for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. Among other awards, Watanabe has won the Japan Academy Film Prize for Best Actor twice, in 2007 for Memories of Tomorrow and in 2010 for The Unbroken. He is also known for his roles in Christopher Nolan's films Batman Begins and Inception, as well as Memoirs of a Geisha, and Pokémon Detective Pikachu. In 2014, he starred in the reboot Godzilla as Dr. Ishiro Serizawa, a role he reprised in the sequel, Godzilla: King of the Monsters. He lent his voice to the fourth and fifth installments of the Transformers franchise respectively, Transformers: Age of Extinction and Transformers: The Last Knight, as Decepticon-turned-Autobot Drift. In 2022, he starred in the HBO Max crime drama series Tokyo Vice. He made his Broadway debut in April 2015 in Lincoln Center Theater's revival production of The King and I in the title role. In 2015, Watanabe received his first Tony Award nomination for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical at the 69th Tony Awards for his role as The King. He is the first Japanese actor to be nominated in this category. Watanabe reprised his role at the London Palladium in June 2018, earning a Laurence Olivier Award nomination.
Takahiro Kuroiwa (黒岩宇洋, Kuroiwa Takahiro; born 13 October 1966) is a Japanese politician. He has been a member of the…Takahiro Kuroiwa (黒岩宇洋, Kuroiwa Takahiro; born 13 October 1966) is a Japanese politician. He has been a member of the House of Representatives from 2024 to 2026, having previously served from 2009 to 2012 and from 2014 to 2021. From 2002 to 2007, he was a member of the House of Councillors.
Tenko Hikita II (二代目・引田 天功, Nidaime (Second Generation) Hikita Tenkō) (born Mariko Itakura (板倉 満里子, Itakura Mariko)…Tenko Hikita II (二代目・引田 天功, Nidaime (Second Generation) Hikita Tenkō) (born Mariko Itakura (板倉 満里子, Itakura Mariko); June 29, 1959), best known under the stage name of Princess Tenko and formerly Mari Asakaze (朝風 まり, Asakaze Mari), is a Japanese pop singer turned magician specialising in grand illusions.
Mai Nakamura (中村 真衣, Nakamura Mai; born July 16, 1979) is a former backstroke swimmer from Japan. At the 2000 Summer…Mai Nakamura (中村 真衣, Nakamura Mai; born July 16, 1979) is a former backstroke swimmer from Japan. At the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Nakamura won the silver medal in the 100m Backstroke and a bronze medal as part of the Women's Relay Team for the 4 x 100 metre Medley. At one point, she was a holder of the 50 m backstroke world record.
Toshitaka Kajino (梶野 敏貴) is a Japanese astronomer from Kashiwazaki, Niigata Prefecture, Japan. His specialty is…Toshitaka Kajino (梶野 敏貴) is a Japanese astronomer from Kashiwazaki, Niigata Prefecture, Japan. His specialty is theoretical astronomy, especially nuclear astrophysics and cosmology. Organizer of Cosmology and Nuclear Astrophysics (COSNAP) group in the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan. Doctor of Science (Physics). He was a student of Akito Arima who was a President of the University of Tokyo and a Minister of Education. Many cosmologists have been produced from Toshitaka Kajino's laboratory.
Haru Kobayashi (小林 ハル, Kobayashi Haru; 24 January 1900 – 25 April 2005) was a Japanese goze, singing songs accompanied…Haru Kobayashi (小林 ハル, Kobayashi Haru; 24 January 1900 – 25 April 2005) was a Japanese goze, singing songs accompanied by shamisen. Kobayashi became blind at three months old. She started goze training at age five and started her career at age eight. She continued performing until 1978, traveling throughout most of Niigata Prefecture as well as through parts of the Yamagata and Fukushima Prefectures. In 1978, she was named one of the Living National Treasures of Japan, as a key figure of the traditional goze art form. In 1979, she was awarded the Medal of Honor with Yellow Ribbon.
Mizoguchi Naomasa (溝口直正; April 11, 1855 – October 17, 1919) was the 12th (and final) daimyō of Shibata Domain in Echigo…Mizoguchi Naomasa (溝口直正; April 11, 1855 – October 17, 1919) was the 12th (and final) daimyō of Shibata Domain in Echigo Province, Japan (modern-day Niigata Prefecture). His courtesy title was Hōki-no-kami, and his Court rank was Junior Fifth Rank, Lower Grade.
Nikkyō Niwano (庭野日敬, Niwano Nikkyō; November 15, 1906 – October 4, 1999) was one of the founders and the first…Nikkyō Niwano (庭野日敬, Niwano Nikkyō; November 15, 1906 – October 4, 1999) was one of the founders and the first president of the Buddhist organization Risshō Kōsei Kai.
