Yukari Takemoto (竹本 ゆかり, Takemoto Yukari; born 27 April 1955) is a retired Japanese swimmer. She had just turned 13…Yukari Takemoto (竹本 ゆかり, Takemoto Yukari; born 27 April 1955) is a retired Japanese swimmer. She had just turned 13 when she qualified for the 1968 Olympics, where she competed in the 100 m and 200 m breaststroke. At her next Olympics in 1972 she took part in the 4 × 100 m freestyle and 200 m and 400 m medley events, but was also eliminated in the preliminaries.
Hideki Saijō (西城 秀樹, Saijō Hideki; originally Tatsuo Kimoto (木本 龍雄, Kimoto Tatsuo); April 13, 1955 – May 16, 2018) was…Hideki Saijō (西城 秀樹, Saijō Hideki; originally Tatsuo Kimoto (木本 龍雄, Kimoto Tatsuo); April 13, 1955 – May 16, 2018) was a Japanese singer, composer, actor, drummer, voice actor, and television and radio show host. Due to his numerous pioneering achievements throughout Asia in the 1970s and 1980s, he is considered an icon amongst Shōwa era idols. With on-stage vivacity and highly acclaimed vocals as his defining trademarks, Saijō quickly came to dominate the Japanese charts of the 1970s. He was consistently promoted as part of the Shin-Gosanke (新御三家, "New Big Three") idol trio alongside two other soloists who debuted around the same time: Goro Noguchi and Hiromi Go. Almost seven years into his career, his 28th single "YOUNG MAN (Y.M.C.A.)" (a Japanese cover of the Village People song of the same name) became a social phenomenon in Japan, selling over 1.8 million copies.
Chieko Kikkawa (吉川 智恵子, Kikkawa Chieko; born 16 March 1955) is a Japanese gymnast. She competed in six events at the…Chieko Kikkawa (吉川 智恵子, Kikkawa Chieko; born 16 March 1955) is a Japanese gymnast. She competed in six events at the 1976 Summer Olympics.
Mamoru Fujieda (藤枝 守, Fujieda Mamoru; born 1955) is a Japanese composer associated with the postminimalist movement of…Mamoru Fujieda (藤枝 守, Fujieda Mamoru; born 1955) is a Japanese composer associated with the postminimalist movement of contemporary classical music.
Satoshi Kirishima (Japanese: 桐島聡, romanized: Kirishima Satoshi, January 9, 1954 – January 29, 2024) was a Japanese…Satoshi Kirishima (Japanese: 桐島聡, romanized: Kirishima Satoshi, January 9, 1954 – January 29, 2024) was a Japanese anarchist, terrorist, and member of the East Asia Anti-Japan Armed Front. Kirishima had been hiding from the Japanese police since 1975. He revealed his identity in January 2024 in a hospital in Kanagawa, stating he wanted to spend the final days of his life using his real name. It was revealed he had been living under the pseudonym of 'Hiroshi Uchida' (Japanese: 内田洋, romanized: Uchida Hiroshi) in Fujisawa. He died three days later in Kamakura. Kirishima was considered one of Japan's most wanted criminals for a long time. His mugshot, which could be found at police stations across Japan, was well known for his grin and was often parodied.
Kenji Fukui (福井 謙二, Fukui Kenji; born September 8, 1953, in Hiroshima) is a Japanese television announcer. He began his…Kenji Fukui (福井 謙二, Fukui Kenji; born September 8, 1953, in Hiroshima) is a Japanese television announcer. He began his broadcasting career in 1976 with Fuji Television, and was one of the three longest-serving television presenters on the Fuji network, before he quit the station in 2013. Fukui has hosted numerous television news and variety programs, but is best known as the "play by play" announcer of Iron Chef. He is known for his frequent jokes towards actors and guests on the show, and has a comical attitude on the show. He is the almost constant narrator on the show and talks about the food being used, the chefs, and explains the finished dishes to the home audience before they are judged. He is also known for making frequent analogies to baseball while commentating. Fukui is the host of the television variety show Tamori's Japonica Logos, starring Japanese TV personality Tamori.
Mariko Miura (三浦 雅璃子, Miura Mariko; 20 June 1953 - 12 July 2019), better known under the stage name Arisu Jun (純 アリス…Mariko Miura (三浦 雅璃子, Miura Mariko; 20 June 1953 - 12 July 2019), better known under the stage name Arisu Jun (純 アリス, Jun Arisu), was a Japanese actress and singer, who was best known for starring in Mama wa Rival and Saramumu, and for her appearances in teleshopping alongside her husband Kōichi Miura.
Kazumi Matsui (松井 一實, Matsui Kazumi; born January 8, 1953) is a Japanese politician and the current mayor of Hiroshima…Kazumi Matsui (松井 一實, Matsui Kazumi; born January 8, 1953) is a Japanese politician and the current mayor of Hiroshima, the capital city of Hiroshima Prefecture in Japan.
Shōgo Hamada (浜田 省吾, Hamada Shōgo; born December 29, 1952) is a legendary Japanese singer-songwriter and former member…Shōgo Hamada (浜田 省吾, Hamada Shōgo; born December 29, 1952) is a legendary Japanese singer-songwriter and former member of the group Aido. He is a part of Sony Music Japan's SME Records division. He was born in Takehara City in Hiroshima Prefecture, and graduated from Kuremitsuta High School (where he was a member of the baseball team). He attended Kanagawa University, where he studied law, but left the school before graduating. In 1975, he made his professional debut as the drummer of the band Aido. Sunglasses have been his trademark ever since his debut, and he has never performed live without sunglasses of some sort (most commonly Ray-Ban Aviator or Ray-Ban Wayfarer). His solo debut came in 1976 with the album Umareta Tokoro o Tōku Hanarete. Though his exposure in the media has always been extremely low, relative to many performers with similar levels of mainstream popularity, he has acquired his many fans over the years through his steady series of live performances. Many of his early songs expressed his skepticism about how one should live their life. In addition to his well-known ballads, he was strongly influenced by his father's experience as a victim of radiation poisoning following the atomic bombing of Hiroshima in 1945, and many of his songs have a very strong protest song tone. He has written music for many other artists, including Momoe Yamaguchi, and Akiko Wada. He is affectionately referred to as "Hamasho" by many of his fans.
Atsuyoshi Furuta (古田 篤良, Furuta Atsuyoshi; born October 27, 1952) is a former Japanese football player. He played for…Atsuyoshi Furuta (古田 篤良, Furuta Atsuyoshi; born October 27, 1952) is a former Japanese football player. He played for Japan national team.
Mikiko Sone (曽根 幹子, Sone Mikiko; born 24 October 1952) is a Japanese athlete. She competed in the women's high jump at…Mikiko Sone (曽根 幹子, Sone Mikiko; born 24 October 1952) is a Japanese athlete. She competed in the women's high jump at the 1976 Summer Olympics. Following her athletics career, she became a professor of sports science at Hiroshima City University.
Yasuhiko Moriwaki (森脇 保彦, Moriwaki Yasuhiko; born 7 May 1952) is a retired Japanese judoka. Moriwaki is from Kake…Yasuhiko Moriwaki (森脇 保彦, Moriwaki Yasuhiko; born 7 May 1952) is a retired Japanese judoka. Moriwaki is from Kake, Hiroshima and began judo at the junior high school days. When he was a member of judo club at Sotoku high-school (崇徳高校, Sōtoku Kōkō), alongside Takao Kawaguchi and Yoshiharu Minami. In 1974, When Moriwaki was a student of Kokushikan University, he won a gold medal at the World University Championships held in Brussels. He took office as the coach of Kokushikan University after graduation from there. In 1979, Moriwaki won a bronze medal of World Championships held in Paris. He was also expected to get medal of Olympic Games in 1980 but he couldn't because the 1980 Summer Olympic Games was boycotted by the Japanese Government. Moriwaki won a gold medal at the World Championships in 1981 at the age of 29. As of 2010, he coaches at Kokushikan Women's Judo Club.
Isao Kiso (木曽 功, Isao Kiso; born 11 February 1952) is a Special Advisor to the Cabinet and a former official of the…Isao Kiso (木曽 功, Isao Kiso; born 11 February 1952) is a Special Advisor to the Cabinet and a former official of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology in Japan. He has held positions as the Director of Cultural Properties Department at the Agency for Cultural Affairs, the Head of Minister's Secretariat International Affairs Division at the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, and the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Japan, Permanent Delegate to UNESCO.
Eitetsu Hayashi (林英哲, Hayashi Eitetsu) (born February 2, 1952) is an acclaimed Japanese musician best known for his…Eitetsu Hayashi (林英哲, Hayashi Eitetsu) (born February 2, 1952) is an acclaimed Japanese musician best known for his solo performance work in taiko. Hayashi joined the group Ondekoza at an early age. Later, after parting from group, helped found the taiko group Kodo, though he quickly left to begin a solo career. Hayashi has performed in notable venues such as Carnegie Hall in 1984 and was the first featured taiko performer at the institution. He is also the recipient of multiple awards recognizing the cultural value of his work.
Yasuhisa Toyota (豊田 泰久, Toyota Yasuhisa) (born 1952) is a Japanese acoustician, who has been chief acoustician for over…Yasuhisa Toyota (豊田 泰久, Toyota Yasuhisa) (born 1952) is a Japanese acoustician, who has been chief acoustician for over 50 projects worldwide, including the Walt Disney Concert Hall, Suntory Hall in Tokyo, the Bard College Performing Arts Center in New York, the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg, and the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts in Kansas City. He is the company director and U.S. Representative of Nagata Acoustics of Tokyo. Toyota was born and raised in Fukuyama, Hiroshima Prefecture and graduated from the Kyushu Institute of Design in 1972. He has been employed by Nagata Acoustics since 1977. His works have included the Shenzhen Cultural Center Concert Hall for the People's Republic of China, Finland's Helsinki Music Centre, the Danish Radio Concert Hall in Copenhagen, Polish National Radio Symphony Orchestra in Katowice, the Bing Concert Hall at Stanford University, Musco Center for the Arts at Chapman University, the Elbe Philharmonic Hall in Hamburg and the renovation of the Sydney Opera House Concert Hall. He has also worked on Miami Beach's New World Center.
Kenichiro Sasae (佐々江 賢一郎, Sasae Ken'ichirō) is a retired Japanese diplomat who served as Vice Minister for Foreign…Kenichiro Sasae (佐々江 賢一郎, Sasae Ken'ichirō) is a retired Japanese diplomat who served as Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs from 2010 to 2012 and Japan's ambassador to the United States from 2012 to 2018. He is currently President of the Japan Institute of International Affairs.
Tadashi Honda (本多 忠, Honda Tadashi; born 19 September 1951) is a Japanese former backstroke swimmer who competed in the…Tadashi Honda (本多 忠, Honda Tadashi; born 19 September 1951) is a Japanese former backstroke swimmer who competed in the 1972 Summer Olympics and in the 1976 Summer Olympics.
Yoshiharu Minami (南 喜陽, Minami Yoshiharu; 10 September 1951 – 29 December 2024) was a Japanese judoka. He competed in…Yoshiharu Minami (南 喜陽, Minami Yoshiharu; 10 September 1951 – 29 December 2024) was a Japanese judoka. He competed in the men's lightweight event at the 1976 Summer Olympics. He was World Champion in 1973 and 1975, and Asia Champion in 1974.
Noboru Waseda (Japanese: 早稲田 昇, Hepburn: Waseda Noboru; born 23 July 1951) is a Japanese former swimmer. He competed in…Noboru Waseda (Japanese: 早稲田 昇, Hepburn: Waseda Noboru; born 23 July 1951) is a Japanese former swimmer. He competed in two events at the 1968 Summer Olympics.
Masao Sueda (末田 正雄, Sueda Masao; born July 18, 1951 in Kure, Hiroshima) is a Japanese journalist and newscaster, who…Masao Sueda (末田 正雄, Sueda Masao; born July 18, 1951 in Kure, Hiroshima) is a Japanese journalist and newscaster, who works for NHK Radio 1. Sueda was a presenter on the Ohayo Nippon morning show between 2000 and 2003, presented the Ogenki desu ka Nippon Retto afternoon program between 2004 and 2005, and was the weekend presenter on NHK News 7. As of December 2012, he presents the radio program Watashi mo Hitokoto! Yūgata Nyūsu (私も一言！夕方ニュース).
Fusae Ōta (太田 房江, Ōta Fusae; born June 26, 1951) is a Japanese politician, a former governor of Osaka Prefecture, and…Fusae Ōta (太田 房江, Ōta Fusae; born June 26, 1951) is a Japanese politician, a former governor of Osaka Prefecture, and the country's first female prefectural governor. Her married name is Fusae Saitō (齊藤 房江, Saitō Fusae). She is affiliated to the revisionist lobby Nippon Kaigi.
Ayako Okamoto (岡本 綾子, Okamoto Ayako; born 2 April 1951) is a Japanese professional golfer. She won 62 tournaments…Ayako Okamoto (岡本 綾子, Okamoto Ayako; born 2 April 1951) is a Japanese professional golfer. She won 62 tournaments internationally, including 17 on the U.S.-based LPGA Tour in the 1980s and 1990s. She is a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame.
Kazuhisa Kono (河野 和久, Kono Kazuhisa; born December 30, 1950) is a former Japanese football player. He played for the…Kazuhisa Kono (河野 和久, Kono Kazuhisa; born December 30, 1950) is a former Japanese football player. He played for the Japan national team.
Tetsuo Nishimoto (西本 哲雄, Nishimoto Tetsuo; born December 16, 1950) is a Japanese former volleyball player who competed…Tetsuo Nishimoto (西本 哲雄, Nishimoto Tetsuo; born December 16, 1950) is a Japanese former volleyball player who competed in the 1972 Summer Olympics and in the 1976 Summer Olympics. He was born in Hiroshima. In 1972, he was part of the Japanese team which won the gold medal in the Olympic tournament. He played four matches. Four years later, in 1976, he finished fourth with the Japanese team in the 1976 Olympic tournament. He played all five matches.
Seiichi Sakiya (崎谷 誠一, Sakiya Seiichi; born December 1, 1950) is a former Japanese football player. He played for Japan…Seiichi Sakiya (崎谷 誠一, Sakiya Seiichi; born December 1, 1950) is a former Japanese football player. He played for Japan national team.
Kensō Soai (硤合 憲三, Soai Kensō; born 3 May 1950) is a Japanese organic chemist, Professor Emeritus in the Department of…Kensō Soai (硤合 憲三, Soai Kensō; born 3 May 1950) is a Japanese organic chemist, Professor Emeritus in the Department of Applied Chemistry at Tokyo University of Science. In 2026, he was jointly awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry with Henri B. Kagan "for the discovery of non-linear effects and autocatalysis in asymmetric organic synthesis."
Shinji Wada (和田 慎二, Wada Shinji; April 19, 1950 – July 5, 2011) was a Japanese manga artist in Kure, Hiroshima…Shinji Wada (和田 慎二, Wada Shinji; April 19, 1950 – July 5, 2011) was a Japanese manga artist in Kure, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan, and best known for the creation of the Sukeban Deka franchise in 1979.
Yoshiharu Tomonaga (友永 義治, Tomonaga Yoshiharu; born 18 February 1950) is a Japanese former sprinter who competed in the…Yoshiharu Tomonaga (友永 義治, Tomonaga Yoshiharu; born 18 February 1950) is a Japanese former sprinter who competed in the 1972 Summer Olympics.
Choji Murata (村田 兆治, 27 November 1949 – 11 November 2022) was a Japanese Nippon Professional Baseball pitcher. He…Choji Murata (村田 兆治, 27 November 1949 – 11 November 2022) was a Japanese Nippon Professional Baseball pitcher. He played for the Tokyo/Lotte Orions over the period 1968 to 1990. Murata led the Pacific League in Earned run average in 1975 and 1976. In 1976 he won 21 games, the only time he won 20 games or more in his career. Overuse of Murata's pitching arm led to extreme pain and injury, and ultimately Murata was forced to undergo Tommy John elbow surgery, performed in 1982 by Dr. Frank Jobe in California. (Murata was the first Japanese pitcher to undergo the procedure.) As a result, Murata missed much of the 1982 season, all of the 1983 season, and most of the 1984 season during his recovery. Rebounding in 1985 with a 17–5 record, Murata won the Nippon Professional Baseball Comeback Player of the Year Award. In 1989 he again led the Pacific League in ERA. Retiring in 1990 with 200+ career wins, Murata became a member of Meikyukai. He was inducted into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame in 2005. In 2008, Murata served on the Eiji Sawamura Award selection committee. On 23 September 2022, Murata was arrested at Haneda airport for allegedly assaulting a customs agent. On 11 November 2022, Murata's house in Seijo, Setagaya, Tokyo, caught on fire during the early morning. Subsequently, he was taken to a hospital where he was pronounced dead due to carbon monoxide poisoning at age 72.
Eikichi Yazawa (矢沢 永吉, Yazawa Eikichi; born September 14, 1949) is a Japanese singer and songwriter. He is the father…Eikichi Yazawa (矢沢 永吉, Yazawa Eikichi; born September 14, 1949) is a Japanese singer and songwriter. He is the father of singer-songwriter Yoko Yazawa. He has been nicknamed as "Ei-chan" (永ちゃん), "Boss" and "The King of Rock".
Midori Ishii (石井 みどり, Ishii Midori; born June 23, 1949) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, a…Midori Ishii (石井 みどり, Ishii Midori; born June 23, 1949) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, a member of the House of Councillors in the Diet (national legislature). A graduate of Tsurumi University, she was elected for the first time in 2007.
Yūzan Fujita (藤田 雄山, Fujita Yūzan; April 19, 1949 – December 18, 2015) was a Japanese politician and the governor of…Yūzan Fujita (藤田 雄山, Fujita Yūzan; April 19, 1949 – December 18, 2015) was a Japanese politician and the governor of Hiroshima Prefecture from 1993 to 2009. A native of Minami-ku, Hiroshima and graduate of Keio University, he had served in the House of Councillors in the Diet of Japan since 1989 for one term before being elected governor.
Mariko Takahashi (高橋 真梨子, Takahashi Mariko; born March 6, 1949 in Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan) is a Japanese female…Mariko Takahashi (高橋 真梨子, Takahashi Mariko; born March 6, 1949 in Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan) is a Japanese female singer. She is known for her ballad pop songs. She began her singing career in 1973 singing covers, but soon progressed to writing her own songs. She is also able to play piano and saxophone. On May 20, 2009, Takahashi released the cover album of Japanese male singers, No Reason: Otoko Gokoro, in which she covered Kyu Sakamoto's "Miagete Goran Yoru no Hoshi o" and Yūzō Kayama's "Kimi to Itsumademo." The album debuted at No. 7 on the Japanese Oricon album charts. Representative works include'Peach Breath' (Peach Breath / 1984).
Haruki Ihara (伊原 春樹, Ihara Haruki; born January 18, 1949) was a Japanese Nippon Professional Baseball player. He played…Haruki Ihara (伊原 春樹, Ihara Haruki; born January 18, 1949) was a Japanese Nippon Professional Baseball player. He played for the Nishitetsu Lions, and continued his entire career with them. From 2002 to 2003, he was the manager of the Seibu Lions, as well as the Orix BlueWave in 2004. His daughter, Natsuna Ihara, is a model and actress.
Tomoyuki Nishita (西田 友是, Nishita Tomoyuki; born 1949 in Hiroshima, Japan) is a professor at the University of Tokyo.…Tomoyuki Nishita (西田 友是, Nishita Tomoyuki; born 1949 in Hiroshima, Japan) is a professor at the University of Tokyo. Dr. Nishita received a research award for computer graphics from the Information Processing Society of Japan in 1987, and also received the Steven Anson Coons Award from the ACM SIGGRAPH in 2005. He is one of the pioneers of the method of radiosity (also soft shadows). His research on computer graphics includes lighting simulation, rendering, shading, natural phenomena, curved surface, non-photorealistic rendering (NPR), morphing, interactive rendering, and WebGraphics. Nishita received his BE, ME and Ph.D in engineering in 1971, 1973, and 1985, respectively, from Hiroshima University. He worked at Fukuyama University from 1979 to 1998. He was an associate researcher in the Engineering Computer Graphics Laboratory at Brigham Young University from 1988 to 1989. He has lectured at the University of Tokyo since 1994, and has been a professor in the Department of Complexity Science and Engineering at the university since 1998. He has written 23 SIGGRAPH papers and 18 EUROGRAPHICS papers. He was a member of the editorial board of the IEEE Transactions on Visualization and Computer Graphics. He was a president of the IIEEJ (Institute of Image and Electronics Engineers of Japan).
Soji Shimada (島田 荘司, Shimada Sōji; born October 12, 1948) is a Japanese mystery writer. He was born in Fukuyama City…Soji Shimada (島田 荘司, Shimada Sōji; born October 12, 1948) is a Japanese mystery writer. He was born in Fukuyama City, Hiroshima Prefecture, Japan.
Toshiyuki Mimura (三村 敏之, Mimura Toshiyuki) (September 19, 1948 – November 3, 2009) was a Japanese baseball player and…Toshiyuki Mimura (三村 敏之, Mimura Toshiyuki) (September 19, 1948 – November 3, 2009) was a Japanese baseball player and manager of the Hiroshima Toyo Carp.
Hiroshi Hiraguchi (平口 洋, Hiraguchi Hiroshi; born 1 August 1948) is a Japanese politician who has served as Minister of…Hiroshi Hiraguchi (平口 洋, Hiraguchi Hiroshi; born 1 August 1948) is a Japanese politician who has served as Minister of Justice since October 2025. A member of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), he serves as a member of the House of Representatives from 2005 to 2009 and since 2012. A native of Hiroshima Prefecture and graduate of the University of Tokyo, he was an official in the Ministry of Construction before becoming a politician.
Kaiji Kawaguchi (Japanese: 川口 開治 or かわぐち かいじ, Hepburn: Kawaguchi Kaiji; born July 27, 1948) is a Japanese manga artist.…Kaiji Kawaguchi (Japanese: 川口 開治 or かわぐち かいじ, Hepburn: Kawaguchi Kaiji; born July 27, 1948) is a Japanese manga artist. He is known for works such as The Silent Service, Zipang, A Spirit of the Sun and Kūbo Ibuki. Generally, his stories involve Japan and examine the moral choices that people make in extreme situations.
Kimitaka Fujino (Japanese: 藤野公孝 Fujino Kimitaka; 29 May 1948 – 9 July 2026) was a Japanese politician. A member of the…Kimitaka Fujino (Japanese: 藤野公孝 Fujino Kimitaka; 29 May 1948 – 9 July 2026) was a Japanese politician. A member of the Liberal Democratic Party, he served in the House of Councillors from 2003 to 2007. Fujino died in Yokohama on 9 July 2026, at the age of 78.
Akiyoshi Umekawa (梅川 昭美, Umekawa Akiyoshi; March 1, 1948 – January 28, 1979) was a Japanese mass murderer who killed a…Akiyoshi Umekawa (梅川 昭美, Umekawa Akiyoshi; March 1, 1948 – January 28, 1979) was a Japanese mass murderer who killed a woman on December 16, 1963, and shot dead four people on January 26, 1979. Mass media also used a number of different possible readings of his given name, including Teruyoshi, Terumi, Akimi and Akemi. He was one of the rare criminals who was shot dead by Japanese police.
Kimie Bessho (別所キミヱ, Bessho Kimie, born 8 December 1947) is a Japanese para table tennis player who competes in…Kimie Bessho (別所キミヱ, Bessho Kimie, born 8 December 1947) is a Japanese para table tennis player who competes in international level events. She was a bronze medallist at the 2014 Asian Para Games and has participated at the Summer Paralympics four times, she was also one of the oldest participants to compete at the 2016 Summer Paralympics aged 68 years old. She is often known to wear butterfly hairclips as a superstition for her tournament matches and is referred to as "The Butterfly Lady".
These are the official results of the men's 3000 metres steeplechase event at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich. The…These are the official results of the men's 3000 metres steeplechase event at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich. The competition was held on 1 and 4 September.
Kōji Yamamoto (山本 浩二, Yamamoto Kōji; born October 25, 1946) is a Japanese former baseball player and manager of the…Kōji Yamamoto (山本 浩二, Yamamoto Kōji; born October 25, 1946) is a Japanese former baseball player and manager of the Hiroshima Toyo Carp of Japan's Central League. A four-time home run king having played for Hiroshima Carp throughout his career, Yamamoto contributed to the team winning five league championships including its first-ever in 1975, and three titles of Japan Series in 1979, 1980 and 1984. He recorded over 40 home runs for five years in a row from 1977. With 536 home runs, he is fourth on the NPB career list. He is known as the Mr. Red Helmet (ミスター赤ヘル, Misutā Akaheru), nicknamed after Hiroshima Carp's symbolic red colored helmet. Yamamoto managed Hiroshima Carp twice, between 1989 and 1993, and later between 2001 and 2005. He led the team to win Central League championship in 1991. He was inducted into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame in 2008, and is a member of the Meikyukai, or the "Golden Players Club."
Kazumi Takahashi (高橋一三, Takahashi Kazumi; June 9, 1946 – July 14, 2015) was a Japanese baseball pitcher. He played and…Kazumi Takahashi (高橋一三, Takahashi Kazumi; June 9, 1946 – July 14, 2015) was a Japanese baseball pitcher. He played and coached for the Yomiuri Giants and the Nippon Ham Fighters of Nippon Professional Baseball. He died of multiple organ failure in 2015 at the age of 69.
Takuro Yoshida (吉田 拓郎, Yoshida Takurō) is a Japanese male singer-songwriter. He was born on April 5, 1946, in Okuchi…Takuro Yoshida (吉田 拓郎, Yoshida Takurō) is a Japanese male singer-songwriter. He was born on April 5, 1946, in Okuchi, Kagoshima, and raised in Hiroshima. He made his debut with the single "Imeji no Uta / Mark II" on June 1, 1970. His 1972 recording of "Tabi no Yado" sold over one million copies by September that year, and was awarded a gold disc. He established the record company "For Life Records" with Yosui Inoue, Shigeru Izumiya, and Hitoshi Komuro in 1975. Yoshida is a musician whose songs have been used as theme songs in television series such as Jun (純) , the theme song of Cromartie High School, as well as being covered by another popular artists like Hirakawachi 1-chome (Yoshida's "Natsu Yasumi"), KinKi Kids (Yoshida's "Zenbu Dakishimete").
