Otohiko Hara (原乙彦, Hara Otohiko; January 1, 1925 – April 9, 2018), formerly known as Otohiko Yabashi, was a Japanese…Otohiko Hara (原乙彦, Hara Otohiko; January 1, 1925 – April 9, 2018), formerly known as Otohiko Yabashi, was a Japanese corporate executive. He was a chief executive officer of Unitika Tsusho [:ja:] (later, Unitika Trading [:ja:]). One of the first Japanese businesspersons who led Dai Nippon Spinning Co., Ltd. (later, Unitika), one of Japan's three largest textile makers, to the first overseas expansion of Japanese corporations after World War II.
Bunkichi Sawada (沢田 文吉, Sawada Bunkichi; 18 July 1920 – 12 May 2006) was a Japanese pole vaulter who won gold medals at…Bunkichi Sawada (沢田 文吉, Sawada Bunkichi; 18 July 1920 – 12 May 2006) was a Japanese pole vaulter who won gold medals at the 1951 and 1954 Asian Games. He placed sixth at the 1952 Summer Olympics, where he served as the flag bearer for Japan.
Takeshi Nomura (野村 武史, Nomura Takeshi; born Kiyoshi Nomura, April 5, 1919 – January 29, 1985) was a Nippon Professional…Takeshi Nomura (野村 武史, Nomura Takeshi; born Kiyoshi Nomura, April 5, 1919 – January 29, 1985) was a Nippon Professional Baseball pitcher.
Tōichi Katō (加藤 東一, Katō Tōichi; 6 January 1916 – 3 December 1996) was a Japanese painter in the Nihonga style and…Tōichi Katō (加藤 東一, Katō Tōichi; 6 January 1916 – 3 December 1996) was a Japanese painter in the Nihonga style and board chairman of the Nitten, a significant Japanese art conference. He and his older brother, Eizō Katō, have a museum dedicated to their works in Gifu, Gifu Prefecture.
Nobuo Kojima (小島 信夫, Kojima Nobuo; February 28, 1915 – October 26, 2006) was a Japanese writer prominent in the postwar…Nobuo Kojima (小島 信夫, Kojima Nobuo; February 28, 1915 – October 26, 2006) was a Japanese writer prominent in the postwar era. He is most readily associated with other writers of his generation, such as Shōtarō Yasuoka, who describe the effects of Japan's defeat in World War II on the country's psyche. From an early age, Kojima read a wide variety of literature, both Japanese and Western, and such writers as Nikolai Gogol, Franz Kafka, and Fyodor Dostoevsky had a strong influence on his work. In addition to his fiction, he had a long career as a professor of English literature at Meiji University in Tokyo, publishing criticism and making translations of many major American writers, including Dorothy Parker, Irwin Shaw, and Bernard Malamud.
Fumiteru Nakano (中野文照, Nakanō Fumiteru; Japanese pronunciation: [nakano ɸɯmiteɾɯ]; 13 January 1915 – 30 December 1989)…Fumiteru Nakano (中野文照, Nakanō Fumiteru; Japanese pronunciation: [nakano ɸɯmiteɾɯ]; 13 January 1915 – 30 December 1989) was a male tennis player from Japan who was active from the 1930s until the 1950s.
Lt. Col. Masataka Ida (井田 正孝, Ida Masataka; 5 October 1912 – 6 February 2004) was a young Lieutenant Colonel in the…Lt. Col. Masataka Ida (井田 正孝, Ida Masataka; 5 October 1912 – 6 February 2004) was a young Lieutenant Colonel in the Military Affairs Section of the Japanese Ministry of War, at the end of World War II. He had been stationed on Formosa (Taiwan), but was ordered back to Tokyo early in 1945. Along with Major Kenji Hatanaka and a few others, he was one of the chief conspirators in the Kyūjō incident to overthrow the government of Prime Minister Kantarō Suzuki; they wished to see the institution of martial law under War Minister Korechika Anami. The plan changed, however, into a plot, engineered by Major Kenji Hatanaka, to seize the Imperial Palace and prevent the broadcast of the Emperor's surrender speech. Lt. Col. Ida took part in this plot only briefly, trying to talk Hatanaka out of it by the end. Not many know about his attempted 'coup', which, although it failed, came dangerously close to lengthening the war, and altering the face of modern history. Ida saw the surrender as suicide on the part of the nation as a whole, and as an attempt by the Cabinet members to save their own lives, with no regard for the nation's honor. He decided that the only way for the military to regain its honor, and apologize to the Emperor for being defeated was for them to commit mass suicide by seppuku. Failing that, he intended to commit seppuku himself. Upon being asked by Major Hatanaka, the creator of the plot, to join him, he replied that the plot offered no guarantee of success, and might even lead to a civil war. He refused to join the plot, opting instead to continue his preparations for suicide. Ida was convinced for a time to help Hatanaka, by asking for support from Lt. Gen. Takeshi Mori of the 1st Imperial Guards Division, and from the Eastern District Army. As he explained his reasoning to Mori, he became more and more passionate about going through with the plot. However, after Mori's refusal to support the uprising, and subsequent murder, and Ida's inability to gain the support of the Eastern District Army, he decided that the plan could never succeed. He went to the Imperial Palace to warn Hatanaka that the Eastern District Army was on their way to stop him, and that he should give up. Ida felt that there was no longer a chance for success, and the only honorable end to it could come from suicide. Convinced he had done all he could to dissuade Hatanaka, Ida went to tell War Minister Korechika Anami of the occupation of the Palace. Told that Anami was preparing to commit seppuku, Ida informed the Minister of his intentions to do the same. Anami insisted that he live on, that it was more courageous to work for the rebuilding of Japan than to commit suicide. Anami killed himself, and Ida was placed under watch to make sure he did not do the same. Following Anami's orders, Ida survived through the end of the war. Ida was court-martialed for his part in the coup, but managed to convince the court that he had genuinely tried to undo his mistake through his attempt to convince Hatanaka to give up on the plot. Post-war, he would be provisionally barred from public office. He would later become the head of the general affairs department for Dentsu, Japan's largest advertising agency. In 1955, he divorced and changed his name to Iwada.
Kasuga Ikkō (Japanese: 春日 一幸; 25 March 1910 – 2 May 1989) was a Japanese politician who served as Chairman of the…Kasuga Ikkō (Japanese: 春日 一幸; 25 March 1910 – 2 May 1989) was a Japanese politician who served as Chairman of the Democratic Socialist Party of Japan from 1971 to 1977, and as a Representative from Aichi from 1952 until his death in 1989. Ikkō was born in a village in Kaizu, where he grew up in a farming family alongside several sisters. He enrolled in the Nagoya Higher Technical School, and graduated in 1928.
Takeyoshi Kawashima (川島 武宜, Kawashima Takeyoshi; 17 October 1909 – 21 May 1992) was a Japanese jurist. He was a…Takeyoshi Kawashima (川島 武宜, Kawashima Takeyoshi; 17 October 1909 – 21 May 1992) was a Japanese jurist. He was a prominent representative of post-war liberalism in Japan and the country's leading legal sociologist. Serving as Sakae Wagatsuma's assistant after 1932, Kawashima was appointed professor of civil law at the University of Tokyo in 1934. In his writings, he sought to develop a system of modern, Western, capitalist society based on the principle of the exchange of goods, which he contrasted to Japanese society with its remaining pre-modern and feudalist elements. His criticism of Japanese domestic ideology in The familial structure of Japanese society (日本社會の家族的構成; Nihon shakai no kazokuteki kōsei) (1954) was a popular success. As a collaborator on the post-war reform of Japanese family law, Kawashima was unable to realize his ambitious ideas, but served as a counterweight to conservatives including Eiichi Makino. In his 1963 article "Dispute Resolution in Contemporary Japan", he argued that although litigation is not a preferred method of dispute resolution anywhere, the Japanese have a particular cultural aversion to litigation. The article has sparked heated debate, generating various perspectives, notably John Haley's "The Myth of the Reluctant Litigant" and Mark Ramseyer's "Reluctant Litigant Revisited".
Eizō Katō (加藤 栄三, Katō Eizō; August 20, 1906 – May 24, 1972) was a Japanese painter in the nihonga style. He and his…Eizō Katō (加藤 栄三, Katō Eizō; August 20, 1906 – May 24, 1972) was a Japanese painter in the nihonga style. He and his younger brother, Tōichi Katō, have a museum dedicated to their works in Gifu, Gifu Prefecture.
Teruzō Andō (安藤 輝三, Andō Teruzō; 25 February 1905 – 12 July 1936) was a Japanese military officer who participated in…Teruzō Andō (安藤 輝三, Andō Teruzō; 25 February 1905 – 12 July 1936) was a Japanese military officer who participated in the 26 February incident of 1936.
Hakaru Miyagawa (宮川 量, Miyagawa Hakaru; January 26, 1905 – September 3, 1949) worked at Tama Zenshoen Sanatorium…Hakaru Miyagawa (宮川 量, Miyagawa Hakaru; January 26, 1905 – September 3, 1949) worked at Tama Zenshoen Sanatorium, Nagashima Aiseien Sanatorium, Okinawa Airakuen Sanatorium, Hoshizuka Keiaien Sanatorium and studied the history of leprosy.
Hideo Aragaki (荒垣 秀雄, Aragaki Hideo; July 19, 1903 – July 8, 1989) was a Japanese newspaperman and a columnist in the…Hideo Aragaki (荒垣 秀雄, Aragaki Hideo; July 19, 1903 – July 8, 1989) was a Japanese newspaperman and a columnist in the Showa era. He was known for writing essays in the Tensei Jingo of Asahi Shimbun for 17 years.
Junzo Sakakura (坂倉 準三, Sakakura Junzō; 1901–1969) was a Japanese architect and former president of the Architectural…Junzo Sakakura (坂倉 準三, Sakakura Junzō; 1901–1969) was a Japanese architect and former president of the Architectural Association of Japan. After graduating from university he worked in Le Corbusier's atelier in Paris. He rose to the position of studio chief during his seven-year stay in the studio. He formed his own practice on his return to Japan becoming an important member of the modernist movement. In 1959, he collaborated with Le Corbusier on the National Museum of Western Art in Tokyo.
Shōichi Miyake (三宅 正一, Miyake Shōichi, 28 November 1900 – 23 May 1982) was a Japanese peasant movement activist and…Shōichi Miyake (三宅 正一, Miyake Shōichi, 28 November 1900 – 23 May 1982) was a Japanese peasant movement activist and politician who served as Vice Speaker of the House of Representatives from 1976 to 1979.
Sutemi Horiguchi (堀口 捨己, Horiguchi Sutemi; 1895–1984) was an architect and a historian of Japanese architecture, and an…Sutemi Horiguchi (堀口 捨己, Horiguchi Sutemi; 1895–1984) was an architect and a historian of Japanese architecture, and an expert of sukiya-zukuri architecture. In addition to designing modern buildings, he designed buildings in sukiya-zukuri, and buildings that fused both modern architectural and traditional Japanese architectural motifs.
Mamoru Yamada (山田 守, Yamada Mamoru; 1894–1966) was a Japanese architect. He obtained an engineering degree from the…Mamoru Yamada (山田 守, Yamada Mamoru; 1894–1966) was a Japanese architect. He obtained an engineering degree from the Tokyo Imperial University school of architecture, and with other students formed the Japan Secession Group, the first promoters of modern architecture in Japan. Works included the 1926 Central Telegraph Office in Tokyo (destroyed). Later work included a number of structures associated with the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, including the Nippon Budokan (1964), Kyoto Tower (1964), as well as the Yamatokoriyama City Hall (1962)
Toyozo Arakawa (荒川 豊蔵, Arakawa Toyozō; March 21, 1894 - August 11, 1985) was a well-known Japanese ceramic potter. He…Toyozo Arakawa (荒川 豊蔵, Arakawa Toyozō; March 21, 1894 - August 11, 1985) was a well-known Japanese ceramic potter. He lived and worked in Mino, near Nagoya. He was given the title "Living National Treasure" in 1955. In 1930 he discovered shards at the site of the ruins of an ogama style kiln at Mutabora proving that that Shino and Oribe glazed work of the Momoyama and early Edo period in Japan had been manufactured in Mino rather than in the Seto area. In 1933 he built a kiln reproducing the original Mutabora kiln and rediscovered the techniques for manufacturing Shino glazes. He died in Tokyo, Japan in 1985. There is a translation of Arakawa's The Traditions and Techniques of Mino Pottery in Janet Barriskill's Visiting the Mino Kilns Wild Peony Press, Sydney, 1995. His work is kept in several museums, including the Mills College Art Museum, the Victoria and Albert Museum, the Portland Art Museum, the ASU Art Museum, the Brooklyn Museum, the Seattle Art Museum, the Minneapolis Institute of Art, and the University of Michigan Museum of Art.
Shigesaburō Miyazaki (宮崎 繁三郎; January 4, 1892 – August 30, 1965) was a Japanese major general of the Imperial Japanese…Shigesaburō Miyazaki (宮崎 繁三郎; January 4, 1892 – August 30, 1965) was a Japanese major general of the Imperial Japanese Army who was notable for commanding the Japanese 31st Division in the Burma Campaign of 1944. His eldest son was Shigeki Miyazaki who was the former president of Meiji University.
Banboku Ōno (大野 伴睦, Ōno Banboku; September 20, 1890 – May 29, 1964) was a Japanese politician who was a powerful…Banboku Ōno (大野 伴睦, Ōno Banboku; September 20, 1890 – May 29, 1964) was a Japanese politician who was a powerful faction leader within the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) in the early postwar period, serving stints as Speaker of the House of Representatives, Secretary General of the Liberal Party, and Vice President of the Liberal Democratic Party. Viewed as an archetypical "party politician," as opposed to the "ex-bureaucrat" elected leaders he staunchly opposed, Ōno was affectionately nicknamed "Ban-chan." He was also known for his colorful sayings, such as noting that just as with yakuza gangsters, "politics is all about giri and ninjō", and "A monkey that falls from a tree is still a monkey, but a politician that loses an election is just a person".
Shin'ichi Hisamatsu (久松 真一, Hisamatsu Shin'ichi; June 5, 1889 – February 27, 1980) was a philosopher, Zen Buddhist…Shin'ichi Hisamatsu (久松 真一, Hisamatsu Shin'ichi; June 5, 1889 – February 27, 1980) was a philosopher, Zen Buddhist scholar, and Japanese tea ceremony (sadō or chadō, 茶道, "the way of tea") master. He was a professor at Kyoto University and received an honorary doctoral degree from Harvard University.
Hiroshi Ōshima (大島 浩, Ōshima Hiroshi; April 19, 1886 – June 6, 1975) was a general in the Imperial Japanese Army…Hiroshi Ōshima (大島 浩, Ōshima Hiroshi; April 19, 1886 – June 6, 1975) was a general in the Imperial Japanese Army, Japanese ambassador to Germany before and during World War II and (unwittingly) a major source of communications intelligence for the Allies. His role was perhaps best summed up by General George C. Marshall, who identified Ōshima as "our main basis of information regarding Hitler's intentions in Europe". After World War II, he was convicted of war crimes and sentenced to life imprisonment, but was paroled in 1955.
Seison Maeda (前田 青邨, Maeda Seison; January 27, 1885 – October 29, 1977) was the art-name of a nihonga painter in the…Seison Maeda (前田 青邨, Maeda Seison; January 27, 1885 – October 29, 1977) was the art-name of a nihonga painter in the Taishō and Shōwa periods of Japan. His legal name was Maeda Renzō. He is considered one of the greatest contemporary Japanese painters, and one of the leaders of the Nihonga movement.
Morita Yonematsu (19 March 1881 – 14 December 1949; Japanese: 森田 米松), known under pen name Morita Sōhei (Japanese: 森田…Morita Yonematsu (19 March 1881 – 14 December 1949; Japanese: 森田 米松), known under pen name Morita Sōhei (Japanese: 森田 草平, もりた そうへい), was a novelist and translator of Western literature active during the late Meiji, Taishō and early Shōwa periods of Japan.
Gotō Zuigan (後藤 瑞巌; 1879–1965) was a Buddhist Rinzai Zen master the chief abbot of Myōshin-ji and Daitoku-ji temples…Gotō Zuigan (後藤 瑞巌; 1879–1965) was a Buddhist Rinzai Zen master the chief abbot of Myōshin-ji and Daitoku-ji temples, and a past president of Hanazono University in Kyoto, also known as "Rinzai University".
Teiji Takagi (高木 貞治 Takagi Teiji, April 21, 1875 – February 28, 1960) was a Japanese mathematician, best known for…Teiji Takagi (高木 貞治 Takagi Teiji, April 21, 1875 – February 28, 1960) was a Japanese mathematician, best known for proving the Takagi existence theorem in class field theory. The Blancmange curve, the graph of a nowhere-differentiable but uniformly continuous function, is also called the Takagi curve after his work on it.
Tōson Shimazaki (島崎 藤村, Shimazaki Tōson; Japanese pronunciation: [toꜜː.soɴ], 25 March 1872 – 22 August 1943) was the…Tōson Shimazaki (島崎 藤村, Shimazaki Tōson; Japanese pronunciation: [toꜜː.soɴ], 25 March 1872 – 22 August 1943) was the pen-name of Haruki Shimazaki, a Japanese writer active in the Meiji, Taishō and early Shōwa periods of Japan. He began his career as a Romantic poet, but went on to establish himself as a major proponent of Japanese Naturalism. The historical novel Before the Dawn (1929–1935), about the fall of the Tokugawa shogunate, is his most popular work.
Mikao Usui (臼井甕男, 15 August 1865 – 9 March 1926, commonly Usui Mikao in Japanese) is argued to have been the creator of…Mikao Usui (臼井甕男, 15 August 1865 – 9 March 1926, commonly Usui Mikao in Japanese) is argued to have been the creator of a form of pseudoscientific spiritual practice called Reiki, a form of alternative therapy for the supposed treatment of physical, emotional, and mental diseases.
Hirata Moritane (平田 盛胤; 1863-1945) was a Japanese Shinto priest and scholar of kokugaku. He was one of the heirs of the…Hirata Moritane (平田 盛胤; 1863-1945) was a Japanese Shinto priest and scholar of kokugaku. He was one of the heirs of the legacy of Hirata Atsutane, and during his lifetime was considered a leading figure in Tokyo's system of Shinto shrines.
Tsubouchi Shōyō (坪内 逍遥; May 22, 1859 – February 28, 1935) was a Japanese author, critic, playwright, translator…Tsubouchi Shōyō (坪内 逍遥; May 22, 1859 – February 28, 1935) was a Japanese author, critic, playwright, translator, editor, educator, and professor at Waseda University. He has been referred to as a seminal figure in Japanese drama.
Ōshima Ken'ichi (大島 健一; 19 June 1858 – 24 March 1947) was a general in the Imperial Japanese Army and Army Minister…Ōshima Ken'ichi (大島 健一; 19 June 1858 – 24 March 1947) was a general in the Imperial Japanese Army and Army Minister during World War I. His son, Hiroshi Ōshima was a lieutenant general in the Imperial Japanese Army, and served as Japanese ambassador to Nazi Germany.
Utako Shimoda (下田 歌子, Shimoda Utako; September 30, 1854 – October 8, 1936) was a Japanese educator and poet of the…Utako Shimoda (下田 歌子, Shimoda Utako; September 30, 1854 – October 8, 1936) was a Japanese educator and poet of the Meiji and Taishō period. Born in present-day Ena, Gifu, she was the founder many educational organizations, including what is today Jissen Women's University. She had international influence, and was one of the most influential women in Asia.
Hosui Yamamoto (山本 芳翠, Yamamoto Hōsui; August 12, 1850 – November 15, 1906) was a Japanese artist. He is also sometimes…Hosui Yamamoto (山本 芳翠, Yamamoto Hōsui; August 12, 1850 – November 15, 1906) was a Japanese artist. He is also sometimes known as Yamamoto Tamenosuke.
Chiune Sugihara (杉原 千畝, Sugihara Chiune; 1 January 1900 – 31 July 1986) was a Japanese diplomat who served as…Chiune Sugihara (杉原 千畝, Sugihara Chiune; 1 January 1900 – 31 July 1986) was a Japanese diplomat who served as vice-consul for the Japanese Empire in Kaunas, Lithuania. During the Second World War, Sugihara helped thousands of Jews flee Europe by issuing transit visas to them so that they could travel through Japanese territory, risking his career and the lives of his family. The fleeing Jews were refugees from German-occupied Western Poland and Soviet-occupied Eastern Poland, as well as residents of Lithuania. Lithuania declared the year 2020 as "The Year of Chiune Sugihara" in his honor. Today, the estimated number of descendants of those who received "Sugihara visas" ranges between 40,000 and 100,000. In 2021, a street in Jerusalem was dedicated in his honor. There is street “Sempo Sugihara” in Tel Aviv-Jaffa as well.
Haruka Aizawa (あいざわ 遥, Aizawa Haruka also known as Kotone Kuroki; born May 21, 1970) is a Japanese manga author and…Haruka Aizawa (あいざわ 遥, Aizawa Haruka also known as Kotone Kuroki; born May 21, 1970) is a Japanese manga author and illustrator. One of her most notable works was Colorful Palette.
Shinnosuke Tachibana (立花 慎之介, Tachibana Shinnosuke; born April 26, 1978) is a Japanese voice actor, singer and…Shinnosuke Tachibana (立花 慎之介, Tachibana Shinnosuke; born April 26, 1978) is a Japanese voice actor, singer and narrator. He is married to voice actress Ao Takahashi.
Miona Hori (堀 未央奈, Hori Miona; born October 15, 1996), is a Japanese actress and YouTuber. She is a former second…Miona Hori (堀 未央奈, Hori Miona; born October 15, 1996), is a Japanese actress and YouTuber. She is a former second generation member of the idol girl group Nogizaka46, and a regular model for the fashion magazine ar.
Reina Sumi (鷲見 玲奈, Sumi Reina; born 12 May 1990) is a Japanese freelance announcer and tarento who is a former TV Tokyo…Reina Sumi (鷲見 玲奈, Sumi Reina; born 12 May 1990) is a Japanese freelance announcer and tarento who is a former TV Tokyo announcer. She was born in Gifu, Gifu Prefecture.
Rie Terazono (Japanese: 寺園 理恵; born January 31, 1981) is a field hockey goalkeeper from Japan. She represented her…Rie Terazono (Japanese: 寺園 理恵; born January 31, 1981) is a field hockey goalkeeper from Japan. She represented her country at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece.
Hitoshi Uematsu (植松 仁, Uematsu Hitoshi) (born 21 June 1974) is a Japanese short-track speed skater. He received a…Hitoshi Uematsu (植松 仁, Uematsu Hitoshi) (born 21 June 1974) is a Japanese short-track speed skater. He received a bronze medal on the 500 m at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano.
Ako Mayama (真山 亜子, Mayama Ako; born November 15, 1958), previously known as Rin Mizuhara (水原 リン, Mizuhara Rin), is a…Ako Mayama (真山 亜子, Mayama Ako; born November 15, 1958), previously known as Rin Mizuhara (水原 リン, Mizuhara Rin), is a Japanese voice actress. She is known for portraying young boys or scruffy old ladies. She is best known for voicing Satoshi Sugiyama, also known as Sugiyama-kun, in the Chibi Maruko-chan television anime series.
Tamurapan (たむらぱん) is a Japanese pop songwriter and singer. Her real name is Tamura Ayumi (田村歩美), was born in 1980 in…Tamurapan (たむらぱん) is a Japanese pop songwriter and singer. Her real name is Tamura Ayumi (田村歩美), was born in 1980 in Takayama, Gifu, Japan. The name Tamurapan is a combination of her surname: Tamura (田村) and the French word for rabbit: Lapin. During the first years of elementary school she lived in Taiwan for some time, while she was still in elementary school she got her amateur radio license.
Yoko Kumada (熊田 曜子, Kumada Yōko; born May 13, 1982) is a Japanese gravure idol, singer, and YouTuber originally from…Yoko Kumada (熊田 曜子, Kumada Yōko; born May 13, 1982) is a Japanese gravure idol, singer, and YouTuber originally from Gifu, Gifu Prefecture, Japan. She is affiliated with Artist-house Pyramid Inc.
Imai Masato (今井 雅人, Imai Masato; born 21 February 1962) is a Japanese politician of the Constitutional Democratic…Imai Masato (今井 雅人, Imai Masato; born 21 February 1962) is a Japanese politician of the Constitutional Democratic Party, who served as a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature). A native of Gero, Gifu he attended Sophia University as an undergraduate. Upon graduation, he joined Sanwa Bank in 1985 and worked in Chicago, Illinois for five years from 1989. He entered The Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ in 2004 as a currency trader. In 2009 he was elected to the House of Representatives for the first time and has been subsequently re-elected in 2012, 2014 and 2017.
Runa Imai (今井 月, Imai Runa; born August 15, 2000) is a Japanese swimmer. She qualified for the 2016 Summer Olympics in…Runa Imai (今井 月, Imai Runa; born August 15, 2000) is a Japanese swimmer. She qualified for the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro in the 200 meter individual medley. She swam the 11th best time in the heats and qualified for the semifinals, where she was eliminated with a 15th-place finish. Imai took up swimming aged three following her elder brother Hikaru, who is also a competitive swimmer. Her mother died in 2008. As a 14-year-old at the 2014 Junior Pan Pacific Swimming Championships in Hawaii, United States, Imai won the gold medal in the 200 metre breaststroke with a time of 2:26.04, the bronze medal in the 100 metre breaststroke with a 1:09.25, and the silver medal in the 4×100 metre medley relay, splitting a 1:08.18 to contribute to the final time of 4:04.11.
Aimi Kawashima (川島 亜依美, Kawashima Aima; born (1990-04-15)15 April 1990) is a Japanese female volleyball player. She was…Aimi Kawashima (川島 亜依美, Kawashima Aima; born (1990-04-15)15 April 1990) is a Japanese female volleyball player. She was part of the Japan women's national volleyball team. She competed at the 2013 FIVB Volleyball World Grand Prix. On club level she played for Okayama Seagulls in 2013.
