Norihiro Akahoshi (赤星 憲広, Akahoshi Norihiro; born April 10, 1976) is a Japanese former professional baseball…Norihiro Akahoshi (赤星 憲広, Akahoshi Norihiro; born April 10, 1976) is a Japanese former professional baseball outfielder. He played in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Hanshin Tigers from 2001 to 2009.
Hitoki Iwase (岩瀬 仁紀, born November 10, 1974) is a Japanese former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Nippon…Hitoki Iwase (岩瀬 仁紀, born November 10, 1974) is a Japanese former professional baseball pitcher. He played in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) from 1999 to 2018 for the Chunichi Dragons. He holds the NPB record for career saves and mound appearances. In 2005, he marked 46 saves with a 1.88 ERA, renewing the single-season save record previously set by Kazuhiro Sasaki. This was subsequently broken by Dennis Sarfate of the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks in 2017. He was chosen to play on the Japanese Olympic baseball team for the 2004 Summer Olympics, and won a bronze medal. In the 2007 Japan Series, he saved a perfect game with eight innings thrown by Daisuke Yamai. In 2008, he was selected to play on the Japanese Olympic baseball team for the 2008 Summer Olympics. In group stage against South Korean Olympic baseball team, his pitch was hit by Kim Hyunsoo, which resulted in a loss. In the semifinal round against the South Korean team, his pitch was hit by Lee Seung-Yeop, leading to a two-run homerun. This again led to another loss. His overall performance in the 2008 Summer Olympics included three defeats and an ERA of 13.75. On 16 January 2025, Iwase was inducted into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame.
Hiromi Makihara (槙原 寛己, Makihara Hiromi) (born August 11, 1963) is a Japanese former Nippon Professional Baseball…Hiromi Makihara (槙原 寛己, Makihara Hiromi) (born August 11, 1963) is a Japanese former Nippon Professional Baseball pitcher. He was a six-time Central League All-Star, won Rookie of the Year honors, and pitched a perfect game in a 19-year career with the Yomiuri Giants.
Kazuhiro Yamakura (山倉 和博, born September 2, 1955) is a Japanese former professional baseball catcher. He spent his…Kazuhiro Yamakura (山倉 和博, born September 2, 1955) is a Japanese former professional baseball catcher. He spent his entire 13-year playing career with the Yomiuri Giants of Nippon Professional Baseball. He was the 1987 Central League MVP.
Tadashi Sugiura (杉浦 忠, Sugiura Tadashi; September 17, 1935 – November 11, 2001) was a Japanese Nippon Professional…Tadashi Sugiura (杉浦 忠, Sugiura Tadashi; September 17, 1935 – November 11, 2001) was a Japanese Nippon Professional Baseball player with the Nankai Hawks. He debuted in the 1958 and went on to join the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame for his skills as a pitcher. He won the Japanese Triple Crown in (1959)
Masaichi Kaneda (金田 正一, Kaneda Masaichi; 1 August 1933 – 6 October 2019) was a Japanese professional baseball pitcher…Masaichi Kaneda (金田 正一, Kaneda Masaichi; 1 August 1933 – 6 October 2019) was a Japanese professional baseball pitcher of Zainichi Korean origin, one of the best-known pitchers in Japanese baseball history, and is the only Japanese pitcher to have won 400 games. He was inducted in the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame in 1988. Nicknamed "The Emperor" because he was the most dominant pitcher in Japan during his prime, Kaneda holds numerous Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) career records. He won 400 games despite being on an extremely weak team, the Kokutetsu Swallows, for most of his career. About 90% of his 400 career wins came with the Swallows. He left for the Yomiuri Giants in 1965. In five seasons with the team, he won the Japan Series each time before retiring in 1969. Kaneda batted and threw left-handed. After his playing career ended, he became a manager for the Lotte Orions, where he managed in two different stints that saw him win the Japan Series in 1974.
Kazuhiro Yamauchi (山内 一弘, Yamauchi Kazuhiro; May 1, 1932 – February 2, 2009) was a Japanese baseball player and…Kazuhiro Yamauchi (山内 一弘, Yamauchi Kazuhiro; May 1, 1932 – February 2, 2009) was a Japanese baseball player and manager. He played for the Mainichi Orions, the Hanshin Tigers and the Hiroshima Toyo Carp over the span of an 18 season-long career (1952–1970). Yamauchi was the first Japanese professional baseball player to hit 300 home runs, achieving that feat on July 4, 1963. Some of his career stats include 7,702 at bats, 1,218 runs, 2,271 hits, 396 home runs, 1,286 runs batted in, 118 stolen bases, 1,061 walks, and a batting average of .292. After retiring as a player in 1970, he went on to become an NPB manager and coach for nearly 30 years. He was a founding member of the Meikyukai ("The Golden Players Club") in 1978, and was inducted into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame in 2002. Yamauchi died of liver failure in a Tokyo hospital on February 2, 2009. He was 76.
Nobuo Oshima (大島 信雄, Ōshima Nobuo; October 2, 1921 – January 8, 2005) was a Nippon Professional Baseball pitcher for…Nobuo Oshima (大島 信雄, Ōshima Nobuo; October 2, 1921 – January 8, 2005) was a Nippon Professional Baseball pitcher for Shochiku Robins and the Chunchi Dragons. His professional career record was 64 wins and 41 losses. In 1940, he pitched shutouts in all 4 games at the Senbatsu Baseball Tournament, helping Gifu Prefectural Commercial High School win. He attended Keio University.
Tetsuzō Tanikawa (谷川 徹三, Tanikawa Tetsuzō; 26 May 1895 – 27 September 1989) was a Japanese philosopher who promoted the…Tetsuzō Tanikawa (谷川 徹三, Tanikawa Tetsuzō; 26 May 1895 – 27 September 1989) was a Japanese philosopher who promoted the concept of World Government for purposes of peace.
Yonejirō Noguchi (野口 米次郎, Noguchi Yonejirō; December 8, 1875 – July 13, 1947), also known as Yone Noguchi, was a…Yonejirō Noguchi (野口 米次郎, Noguchi Yonejirō; December 8, 1875 – July 13, 1947), also known as Yone Noguchi, was a Japanese writer, poet, essayist and literary critic in both English and Japanese. He was the father of sculptor Isamu Noguchi.
Shiga Shigetaka (志賀 重昂; 15 September 1863 – 6 April 1927) was the editor of the magazine Nihonjin during the Meiji…Shiga Shigetaka (志賀 重昂; 15 September 1863 – 6 April 1927) was the editor of the magazine Nihonjin during the Meiji period, in which he argued against extreme Westernization (Japanese: 欧化主義).