Yuji Takenouchi (竹ノ内 裕治, Takenouchi Yūji; born February 25, 1969), also known as TECHNOuchi, is a Japanese composer…Yuji Takenouchi (竹ノ内 裕治, Takenouchi Yūji; born February 25, 1969), also known as TECHNOuchi, is a Japanese composer, sound designer, and musician.
Yoshiyuki Hasegawa (長谷川 祥之, Hasegawa Yoshiyuki; born 11 February 1969) is a former Japanese football player. He played…Yoshiyuki Hasegawa (長谷川 祥之, Hasegawa Yoshiyuki; born 11 February 1969) is a former Japanese football player. He played for Japan national team.
Naoto Nakamura (中村直人, Nakamura Naoto) (born 18 January 1969) is a Japanese former rugby union player who played as…Naoto Nakamura (中村直人, Nakamura Naoto) (born 18 January 1969) is a Japanese former rugby union player who played as prop. He played 20 tests for the Japan national rugby union team including two matches in 1999 Rugby World Cup. Currently he is the scrum coach for Canon Eagles.
Cho Kwi-jae (born 16 January 1969) is a former Zainichi Korean football player and manager who is currently the manager…Cho Kwi-jae (born 16 January 1969) is a former Zainichi Korean football player and manager who is currently the manager of J1 League club Urawa Red Diamonds.
Yoshinori Fujikawa (藤川 佳則 Fujikawa Yoshinori, born January 29, 1969) is a Japanese academic and economist. He is an…Yoshinori Fujikawa (藤川 佳則 Fujikawa Yoshinori, born January 29, 1969) is a Japanese academic and economist. He is an Associate Vice President at Hitotsubashi University, and serves as Associate Professor and MBA Program Director at Hitotsubashi University Business School, School of International Corporate Strategy (Hitotsubashi ICS).
Aya Sugimoto (杉本 彩, Sugimoto Aya; born July 19, 1968) is a Japanese TV personality, actress, dancer, author, gravure…Aya Sugimoto (杉本 彩, Sugimoto Aya; born July 19, 1968) is a Japanese TV personality, actress, dancer, author, gravure idol and singer born in Kyoto. She also had a J-pop career in the late 1980s to the early 1990s.
Kikuko Mikawa (born 29 April 1968) is a Japanese basketball player. She competed in the women's tournament at the 1996…Kikuko Mikawa (born 29 April 1968) is a Japanese basketball player. She competed in the women's tournament at the 1996 Summer Olympics.
Takako Kobayashi (小林 貴子, Kobayashi Takako; born 2 April 1968) is a Japanese judoka. She competed in the women's…Takako Kobayashi (小林 貴子, Kobayashi Takako; born 2 April 1968) is a Japanese judoka. She competed in the women's half-middleweight event at the 1992 Summer Olympics.
Kuranosuke Sasaki (佐々木 蔵之介, Sasaki Kuranosuke; born February 4, 1968; real name Hideaki Sasaki 佐々木秀明, Sasaki Hideaki)…Kuranosuke Sasaki (佐々木 蔵之介, Sasaki Kuranosuke; born February 4, 1968; real name Hideaki Sasaki 佐々木秀明, Sasaki Hideaki) is a Japanese actor, known primarily for his roles in Japanese television drama.
Toshiaki Takemoto (嶽本 稔明, Takemoto Toshiaki), known professionally as Novala Takemoto (嶽本 野ばら, Takemoto Nobara), is a…Toshiaki Takemoto (嶽本 稔明, Takemoto Toshiaki), known professionally as Novala Takemoto (嶽本 野ばら, Takemoto Nobara), is a Japanese author, and fashion designer.
Reversi is an abstract strategy board game for two players, played on an 8×8 uncheckered board. It was invented in…Reversi is an abstract strategy board game for two players, played on an 8×8 uncheckered board. It was invented in 1883. Othello, a variant with a fixed initial setup of the board, was patented in 1971. Two players compete, using 64 identical game pieces ("disks") that are light on one side and dark on the other. Each player chooses one color to use throughout the game. Players take turns placing one disk on an empty square, with their assigned color facing up. After a play is made, any disks of the opponent's color that lie in a straight line bounded by the one just played and another one in the current player's color are turned over. When all playable empty squares are filled, the player with more disks showing in their own color wins the game.
Michiru Sasano (笹野 みちる, Sasano Michiru) is a Japanese musician, pop singer and songwriter. In 1988, when she was…Michiru Sasano (笹野 みちる, Sasano Michiru) is a Japanese musician, pop singer and songwriter. In 1988, when she was attending college in Doshisha University. A pop band Tokyo Shōnen was formed in which she became the songwriter and vocalist. She later came out as a lesbian. After the band broke up, she became a solo artist in 1993.
Hiroaki Matsuyama (松山 博明, Matsuyama Hiroaki; born August 31, 1967) is a former Japanese football player and manager. He…Hiroaki Matsuyama (松山 博明, Matsuyama Hiroaki; born August 31, 1967) is a former Japanese football player and manager. He managed the Bhutan national team. His brother Yoshiyuki Matsuyama is also former footballer.
Takahiro Hosokawa (細川隆弘, Hosokawa Takahiro) (born 1 April 1967, in Kyoto) is a former Japanese rugby union footballer.…Takahiro Hosokawa (細川隆弘, Hosokawa Takahiro) (born 1 April 1967, in Kyoto) is a former Japanese rugby union footballer. He played as a fullback.
Kenta Kobashi (小橋 健太, Kobashi Kenta; ring name: 小橋 建太) (born, March 27, 1967) is a Japanese professional wrestling…Kenta Kobashi (小橋 健太, Kobashi Kenta; ring name: 小橋 建太) (born, March 27, 1967) is a Japanese professional wrestling promoter and retired wrestler. Broadly referred to by the nickname "Tetsujin" (鉄人; Iron Man), he is widely regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time. He is best known for his two runs in All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) and Pro Wrestling Noah, of which he captured AJPW's Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship thrice, and Noah's GHC Heavyweight Championship once. He is the winner of numerous Match of the Year and Wrestler of the Year awards, including from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (WON) and Tokyo Sports. Kobashi started his wrestling career in AJPW in 1987, debuting the next year and becoming the star rookie of the promotion. Booked as a resilient jobber by AJPW founder Giant Baba, he became a key major figure in the shift between old wrestlers to younger ones in the turn of the Super World of Sports exodus. In 1993, he was officially dubbed as one of the members of the Four Heavenly Kings (プロレスの四天王, Puroresu no shiten'nō; also called the Four Pillars of Heaven) of AJPW, alongside Mitsuharu Misawa, Toshiaki Kawada, and Akira Taue. He became renowned for his matches and rivalries with gaijin (foreign) wrestlers and fellow Japanese wrestlers alike. He became a widely successful tag wrestler, teaming with Misawa, the AJPW ace, as part of the Super Generation Army (超世代軍, Chou Sedai-gun), and becoming a noted combatant in some of the most highly acclaimed tag team wrestling matches of the 1990s. He became successful as a singles wrestling star later on, usually by his determination and performance in highly acclaimed matches, usually for the Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship or in the Champion Carnival tournament. His matches with his fellow Kings, as well as the likes of Steve Williams, Stan Hansen, Burning stable-mate and tag partner Jun Akiyama, and Terry "Bam Bam" Gordy, are held in high regard and praise, especially those against the Kings and Hansen. As a top singles wrestler in AJPW, he qualified for the 1997 and 1999 Champion Carnival finals, and won the 2000 tournament. Kobashi was part of the dissenting crew who would take part in the second exodus of All Japan Pro Wrestling in 2000, which led to the creation of the Pro Wrestling Noah promotion, and would later continue to work as a wrestler for the promotion for thirteen years. He notably concluded the inter-promotional rivalry with Misawa in Noah, winning the GHC Heavyweight Championship from him on March 1, 2003. He went on to have the longest singular reign for the championship of all time, holding it for 735 days, losing it to Takeshi Rikio on March 5, 2005. In that reign, he had defended the title thirteen times (the second most ever behind Takashi Sugiura, who had one more than Kobashi), and had sold out each of the Noah-affiliated shows that had him defend his title. Kobashi spent many of the later years of his career sidelined due to various injuries. He underwent numerous surgeries on his arms and legs in the early-mid 2000s before retiring from in-ring action in May 2013. Kobashi continues to make sporadic appearances in Noah, as well as DDT Pro-Wrestling, whilst also promoting his own shows under the Fortune Dream banner.
Manabu Nakanishi (中西 学, Nakanishi Manabu; born January 22, 1967) is a Japanese retired professional wrestler and former…Manabu Nakanishi (中西 学, Nakanishi Manabu; born January 22, 1967) is a Japanese retired professional wrestler and former amateur wrestler, who was primarily associated with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW). He is a one-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion, one-time G1 Climax winner and three-time IWGP Tag Team Champion. Nakanishi has always stayed based in NJPW, but has wrestled for various other promotions including World Championship Wrestling, All Japan Pro Wrestling, Pro Wrestling Noah and Pro Wrestling Zero1. Nakanishi's career slowly declined after a spinal injury in 2011, but he continued to wrestle for a further nine years, before retiring on February 22, 2020. In 1992, Nakanishi won bronze in freestyle wrestling at the Asian Championships. Later that year, he competed in the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain, and placed eleventh.
Masanori Ikeda (池田 政典, Ikeda Masanori; born December 1, 1966) is a Japanese actor, singer, and voice actor. He is best…Masanori Ikeda (池田 政典, Ikeda Masanori; born December 1, 1966) is a Japanese actor, singer, and voice actor. He is best known for playing Shishio Makoto in the anime Rurouni Kenshin.
Kazuhiko Nishimura (西村 和彦, Nishimura Kazuhiko; born August 21, 1966, in Fushimi-ku, Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan) is…Kazuhiko Nishimura (西村 和彦, Nishimura Kazuhiko; born August 21, 1966, in Fushimi-ku, Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan) is a Japanese actor who is represented by the talent agency Sony Music Artists.
Makoto Uchida (内田 誠, Uchida Makoto; born July 20, 1966) is a Japanese businessman. He was the CEO of the Nissan Motor…Makoto Uchida (内田 誠, Uchida Makoto; born July 20, 1966) is a Japanese businessman. He was the CEO of the Nissan Motor Corporation from December 2019 until March 2025.
Junko Ishida (石田 順子, Ishida Junko; born March 11, 1966) is a former Japanese football player. She played for the Japan…Junko Ishida (石田 順子, Ishida Junko; born March 11, 1966) is a former Japanese football player. She played for the Japan national team.
Nobuko Fujimura (Japanese: 藤村 信子; born 18 December 1965) is a Japanese female former long-distance runner who competed…Nobuko Fujimura (Japanese: 藤村 信子; born 18 December 1965) is a Japanese female former long-distance runner who competed in the marathon. She won the Hokkaido Marathon in 1993 and the Tokyo Women's Marathon in 1996. She represented her country at the World Championships in Athletics (1997), IAAF World Cross Country Championships (1994), and was a bronze medallist at the 1994 Asian Games.
Tetsuya Tanaka (田中哲也, Tanaka Tetsuya, born 16 December 1965) is a Japanese racing driver. Since 1996, he has competed…Tetsuya Tanaka (田中哲也, Tanaka Tetsuya, born 16 December 1965) is a Japanese racing driver. Since 1996, he has competed in the Japanese Grand Touring Championship for a variety of teams, and has won the Tokachi 24 Hours five times.
Toru H. Okabe (born December 4, 1965) is a Japanese scientist specializing in materials science, environmental science…Toru H. Okabe (born December 4, 1965) is a Japanese scientist specializing in materials science, environmental science, resource circulation engineering, and rare metals process engineering, particularly for electronic waste. His most recent work involves the advancement of new processing technology to recycle rare metals like niobium, titanium, yttrium, rhenium, neodymium, other lanthanides and precious metals. He is also involved in sustainable urban mining.
Ikko Nakatsuka (born 4 April 1965) is a Japanese politician, member of Democratic Party of Japan and former minister of…Ikko Nakatsuka (born 4 April 1965) is a Japanese politician, member of Democratic Party of Japan and former minister of state.
Tetsuji Hashiratani (柱谷 哲二, Hashiratani Tetsuji; born July 15, 1964) is a former Japanese football player and manager.…Tetsuji Hashiratani (柱谷 哲二, Hashiratani Tetsuji; born July 15, 1964) is a former Japanese football player and manager. He played for Japan national team. His elder brother Koichi Hashiratani is also a former footballer.
Tatsuya Kimura (木村 立哉, Kimura Tatsuya; born 1964 in Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan) is a Japanese film producer and a…Tatsuya Kimura (木村 立哉, Kimura Tatsuya; born 1964 in Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan) is a Japanese film producer and a critic, and also as known as Hockney Katsushika (葛飾 ホックニー, Katsushika Hockney), a music producer.
Motoyuki Odachi (尾立 源幸, Odachi Motoyuki; born October 9, 1963) is a former Japanese politician of the Liberal…Motoyuki Odachi (尾立 源幸, Odachi Motoyuki; born October 9, 1963) is a former Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, who served as a member of the House of Councillors in the Diet (national legislature). A native of Sakai, Osaka and graduate of Keio University, he was elected to the House of Councillors for the first time in 2004 after running unsuccessfully for the House of Representatives in 2000.
Masuyo Shiraishi (白石 益代, Shiraishi Masuyo; born September 24, 1964) is a former Japanese football player. She played…Masuyo Shiraishi (白石 益代, Shiraishi Masuyo; born September 24, 1964) is a former Japanese football player. She played for Japan national team.
Keiko Fujiie (Japanese: 藤家渓子), born in 1963 in Kyoto, is a composer whose music is frequently performed both in Japan…Keiko Fujiie (Japanese: 藤家渓子), born in 1963 in Kyoto, is a composer whose music is frequently performed both in Japan and internationally. She is best known for guitar compositions, many of them for the distinguished Japanese guitarist (also her husband) Kazuhito Yamashita, and organizes the guitar quintet that bears his name. She has twice won the Otaka Prize.
Hiroyuki Shibata (Japanese: 柴田 博之, Hepburn: Shibata Hiroyuki; born 26 April 1963) is a Japanese athlete. He competed in…Hiroyuki Shibata (Japanese: 柴田 博之, Hepburn: Shibata Hiroyuki; born 26 April 1963) is a Japanese athlete. He competed in the men's long jump at the 1988 Summer Olympics. He is currently the track coach of Rakunan High School in Kyoto, where he coached Olympian Yoshihide Kiryū, the first Japanese to break the 10-second barrier.
Hiroe Suga (菅浩江, Suga Hiroe; born April 21, 1963 in Kyoto) is a Japanese science fiction and mystery writer. She was…Hiroe Suga (菅浩江, Suga Hiroe; born April 21, 1963 in Kyoto) is a Japanese science fiction and mystery writer. She was first published in 1981. She has won four Seiun Awards – in 1992 and 2001 for best novel of the year, and in 1993 and 2020 for best short story of the year. She is also a musician and a qualified dancer in the Wakayagi school of Japanese traditional dance. Music and dance have figured in her fiction. Suga has taught at a story writing course at the Kyoto College of Graphic Studies for Informatics (KCGI). In November 1990, Suga married Gainax founder Yasuhiro Takeda.
Seiji Hirao (平尾誠二; 21 January 1963 – 20 October 2016) was a Japanese rugby union footballer and coach. He played as a…Seiji Hirao (平尾誠二; 21 January 1963 – 20 October 2016) was a Japanese rugby union footballer and coach. He played as a fly-half, and was one of the most popular Japanese players of his time, earning the name of "Mr. Rugby".
Atsushi Yamanishi (山西 惇, Yamanishi Atsushi; born December 12, 1962, in Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan) is a Japanese…Atsushi Yamanishi (山西 惇, Yamanishi Atsushi; born December 12, 1962, in Kyoto, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan) is a Japanese actor represented by Ricomotion.
Naomi Tokashiki (渡嘉敷 奈緒美, Tokashiki Naomi; born 16 July 1962) is a Japanese politician who is serving in the House of…Naomi Tokashiki (渡嘉敷 奈緒美, Tokashiki Naomi; born 16 July 1962) is a Japanese politician who is serving in the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature) as a member of the Liberal Democratic Party.
Seiji Maehara (前原 誠司, Maehara Seiji; born 30 April 1962) is a Japanese politician who has served as a member of the…Seiji Maehara (前原 誠司, Maehara Seiji; born 30 April 1962) is a Japanese politician who has served as a member of the House of Representatives of Japan since 1993. Maehara has served as a leader and a member of various political parties, and has run in several party leadership elections. As of 2026, he sits in the Diet as a member of Ishin no Kai. Beginning his political career in Kyoto, Maehara was initially a member of smaller opposition parties before joining the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), serving as its leader from 2005 to 2006. After the DPJ was victorious in the 2009 general election, Maehara served as Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism and Minister of Foreign Affairs under the cabinets of Prime Ministers Yukio Hatoyama and Naoto Kan, before resigning from the cabinet in March 2011 after he acknowledged receiving illegal donations from a South Korean national living in Japan. In 2016, Maehara contested for the leadership of the Democratic Party, the successor party of the DPJ, losing to Renho. He later replaced her as leader on 1 September 2017 until its dissolution later that month. After spending some time with Kibō no Tō and the Democratic Party for the People (DPFP), Maehara founded a new party in 2023, Free Education for All, which was broadly centrist and focused on building a coalition against the LDP. In preparation for the 2024 general election, the party merged with the Osaka-based Ishin no Kai party (Japan Innovation Party). Two months later, he was elected the party's co-leader and representative in the National Diet, serving alongside Osaka Governor Hirofumi Yoshimura. Maehara would resign the following summer to take responsibility for the party's lackluster results in the 2025 Upper House elections. Being succeed by Fujita Fumitake, Maehra has remained on the backbenches since. Maehara is viewed as a "China war hawk" and a proponent of close ties with the United States. He is also often viewed as being politically conservative, while supporting socially liberal policies, such as the legalization of same-sex marriage.
Gota Yashiki (屋敷 豪太, Yashiki Gōta), born 26 February 1962, is a Japanese musician. He performs an independent acid jazz…Gota Yashiki (屋敷 豪太, Yashiki Gōta), born 26 February 1962, is a Japanese musician. He performs an independent acid jazz artist and drum/bass player, and was a member of English band Simply Red.
Tomoko Tane (種ともこ, Tane Tomoko; born November 7, 1961) is a Japanese singer, songwriter, and arranger. She debuted in…Tomoko Tane (種ともこ, Tane Tomoko; born November 7, 1961) is a Japanese singer, songwriter, and arranger. She debuted in 1985 and has recorded various singles and albums. She sung "Mermaid in Blue" for the television film Sango-sho Densetsu: Aoi Umi no Erufii (Coral Reef Legend: Elfie of the Blue Sea). In 1990, her album Ureshii Hitokoto (うれしいひとこと) peaked at position five on the Japanese charts. She sang the opening song "Message #9" and credits track "Love Song" of the 1998 anime series Gasaraki. She also is the performer in "Rainbow Song", the ending theme to the Japanese dub of The Little Polar Bear.
Ken Mitsuishi (光石 研, Mitsuishi Ken; born September 26, 1961) is a Japanese actor. He has appeared in films such as…Ken Mitsuishi (光石 研, Mitsuishi Ken; born September 26, 1961) is a Japanese actor. He has appeared in films such as Chaos and Tokyo Playboy Club.
Eiji Kiyokawa (清川 栄治, Kiyokawa Eiji; September 21, 1961 – May 5, 2024) was a Japanese Nippon Professional Baseball…Eiji Kiyokawa (清川 栄治, Kiyokawa Eiji; September 21, 1961 – May 5, 2024) was a Japanese Nippon Professional Baseball player and coach who played as a pitcher. He died from cancer on May 5, 2024, at the age of 62.
Akihiko Shiota (塩田 明彦, Shiota Akihiko) (born 11 September 1961, Maizuru, Kyoto) is a Japanese film director and…Akihiko Shiota (塩田 明彦, Shiota Akihiko) (born 11 September 1961, Maizuru, Kyoto) is a Japanese film director and screenwriter.
Atsushi Oyagi (大八木淳史, Ōyagi Atsushi) (born August 15, 1961, in Ukyō) is a former rugby union player who played as lock…Atsushi Oyagi (大八木淳史, Ōyagi Atsushi) (born August 15, 1961, in Ukyō) is a former rugby union player who played as lock, rugby commentator, tarento, educator and school corporate president. He is 190 cm tall. He is affiliated to Shochiku Geino.
Keita Shimizu (清水 圭太, Shimizu Keita; born June 24, 1961, in Uji, Kyoto, Japan), simply known as Kei Shimizu (清水 圭…Keita Shimizu (清水 圭太, Shimizu Keita; born June 24, 1961, in Uji, Kyoto, Japan), simply known as Kei Shimizu (清水 圭, Shimizu Kei), is a retired Japanese comedian who was represented by the talent agency, Yoshimoto Kogyo. In May 2022, Shimizu announced on his blog that he was retiring from show business, citing "lack of motivation" and a desire to live a normal life away from show business. His profile was removed from the Yoshimoto Kogyo website later that month and he closed his personal blog soon after. On May 27, 2023, it was announced that he had divorced his wife, actress and former idol Miyuki Kosaka, after 29 years of marriage. Shimizu and Kosaka had two sons together. While Kosaka and their sons remained in the Tokyo area, Shimizu has returned to his family's home in Kyoto, away from the public eye.