Kenji Nagai (長井 健司, Nagai Kenji; August 27, 1957 – September 27, 2007) was a Japanese photojournalist who took many…
Kenji Nagai (長井 健司, Nagai Kenji; August 27, 1957 – September 27, 2007) was a Japanese photojournalist who took many assignments to conflict zones and dangerous areas around the world. He was shot dead in Myanmar during the Saffron Revolution while filming. Nagai continued to take photographs as he lay wounded on the ground, later dying from gunshot injuries to the chest. The government of Myanmar claimed that the cause of his death was a stray bullet; this was later disproven. Despite carrying his camera during a protest in the Saffron Revolution, it later went missing, supposedly because a Myammar soldier had taken it. In 2023, the camera and footage were returned. He was the only foreign national killed in the protests.
Famous People from Ehime Prefecture
Ehime Prefecture: 272 people
Takashi Nishimoto (西本 聖, Nishimoto Takashi; born June 27, 1956) is a Japanese baseball coach and retired pitcher. He…
Takashi Nishimoto (西本 聖, Nishimoto Takashi; born June 27, 1956) is a Japanese baseball coach and retired pitcher. He played in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Yomiuri Giants, Chunichi Dragons, and Orix Blue Wave from 1976 through 1993. In 1981, Nishimoto won the Eiji Sawamura Award. Winning the 1981 Japan Series, he was named the Japan Series Most Valuable Player. Nishimoto won seven straight Gold Glove Awards from 1979 through 1985. He won the Nippon Professional Baseball Comeback Player of the Year Award in 1989. After his retirement as a player, Nishimoto coached for the Hanshin Tigers and the Chiba Lotte Marines. In 2013, he coached the Orix Buffaloes. His brother, Akikazu Nishimoto, played in NPB.
Seiji Ono (小野 誠治, Ono Seiji; born June 18, 1956) is a former international table tennis player from Japan.
Hatsuyuki Hamada (濱田 初幸, Hamada Hatsuyuki; born 1 July 1955) is a retired Japanese judoka. Hamada is from Tsushima…
Hatsuyuki Hamada (濱田 初幸, Hamada Hatsuyuki; born 1 July 1955) is a retired Japanese judoka. Hamada is from Tsushima, Ehime. He belonged to Ehime Prefectural Police after graduation from Matsuyama University in 1978. Hamada was good at Seoi nage, Kouchi gari and Newaza. He participated Asian Championships held in Jakarta, Indonesia in 1981 and won a gold medal. He also won a gold medal at Pacific Rim Championships in 1983. In 1985, Hamada entered Nippon Sport Science University to be a teacher. After graduation in 1987, he coached judo at high-school in Ehime Prefecture and his old school, Matsuyama University. As of 2010, Hamada has coachede judo at National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Kanoya since 2002.
Shinya Ono (小野 晋也; born 28 April 1955) is a former Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, who was a…
Shinya Ono (小野 晋也; born 28 April 1955) is a former Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, who was a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet.
Hiroshi Yamamoto (山本 博司, Yamamoto Hiroshi; born 1954) is a Japanese politician of the New Komeito Party, a former…
Hiroshi Yamamoto (山本 博司, Yamamoto Hiroshi; born 1954) is a Japanese politician of the New Komeito Party, a former member of the House of Councillors in the Diet (national legislature). A native of Yawatahama, Ehime and graduate of Keio University, he was elected to the House of Councillors for the first time in 2007 after working at IBM.
Junzo Yamamoto (Japanese: 山本 順三, Hepburn: Yamamoto Junzō; born October 27, 1954) is a Japanese politician of the…
Junzo Yamamoto (Japanese: 山本 順三, Hepburn: Yamamoto Junzō; born October 27, 1954) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, a member of the House of Councillors in the Diet (national legislature). A graduate of Waseda University, he was elected to the House of Councillors for the first time in 2004 after serving in the assembly of Ehime Prefecture for six terms since 1983. In October 2015 Yamamoto was appointed state minister of land, infrastructure, transport and tourism, state minister of the Cabinet Office of Japan and state minister for reconstruction, he was active in these posts until August 2016.
Shuji Nakamura (中村 修二, Nakamura Shūji; born May 22, 1954) is a Japanese–American electrical engineer and co-inventor of…
Shuji Nakamura (中村 修二, Nakamura Shūji; born May 22, 1954) is a Japanese–American electrical engineer and co-inventor of the blue LED, a major breakthrough in lighting technology. For this achievement, Nakamura, together with Isamu Akasaki and Hiroshi Amano, received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2014. Nakamura specializes in the field of semiconductor technology. He is Professor of Materials and of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) since 1999.
Jōkō Ninomiya (二宮 城光, Ninomiya Jōkō; born January 27, 1954) is the founder and director of Enshin Karate. He presides…
Jōkō Ninomiya (二宮 城光, Ninomiya Jōkō; born January 27, 1954) is the founder and director of Enshin Karate. He presides over the Enshin organization from the headquarters (honbu) in Denver, Colorado. His title as head of the Enshin organization is "Kanchō" (Grandmaster).
Kazuko Kadoya (門屋 加壽子, Kadoya Kazuko; born 7 October 1953) is a Japanese basketball player. She competed in the women's…
Kazuko Kadoya (門屋 加壽子, Kadoya Kazuko; born 7 October 1953) is a Japanese basketball player. She competed in the women's tournament at the 1976 Summer Olympics.
Seigo Tarucha (born 1953) is a Japanese experimental physicist who is known for his research on gate-defined…
Seigo Tarucha (born 1953) is a Japanese experimental physicist who is known for his research on gate-defined semiconductor quantum dots and spin qubits.
Seiei Kimura (木村 聖裔, Kimura Seiei; born September 4, 1953) is a Japanese retired professional wrestler, best known…
Seiei Kimura (木村 聖裔, Kimura Seiei; born September 4, 1953) is a Japanese retired professional wrestler, best known under the ring name Kengo Kimura (木村 健悟, Kimura Kengo) and for his many years working for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) in Japan.
Kazuyoshi Ishii (石井 和義, Ishii Kazuyoshi; born June 10, 1953) is a Japanese karateka, promoter, and businessman.. He was…
Kazuyoshi Ishii (石井 和義, Ishii Kazuyoshi; born June 10, 1953) is a Japanese karateka, promoter, and businessman.. He was born in Uwajima City, Ehime Prefecture. Graduated from Ehime Prefectural Uwajima Higashi High School. He is known as the founder of Seidokaikan, a karate organization, and the founder of K-1, a martial arts promotion which became a pioneer in mixed martial arts events. K-1 Founder and advisor/Director of Seimichi Kaikan/ARISF.GAISF. (IOC-recognized international federation of sports organizations, international sports federation) Kickboxing WAKO JAPAN/FIKA/Originally based on the manga "Dorukara".
Seiichiro Murakami (村上 誠一郎, Murakami Seiichirō; born 11 May 1952) is a Japanese politician. He was the Minister of…
Seiichiro Murakami (村上 誠一郎, Murakami Seiichirō; born 11 May 1952) is a Japanese politician. He was the Minister of State for Regulatory Reform, the Minister of State for Industrial Revitalization Corporation of Japan, the Minister of State for Administrative Reform, the Minister of State for Special Zones for Structural Reform and the Minister of State for Regional Revitalization in Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's Cabinet. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Law from Tokyo University, and was first elected in 1986 to the House of Representatives in Ehime Prefecture.
Yasuhisa Shiozaki (塩崎 恭久, Shiozaki Yasuhisa; born 7 November 1950) is a Japanese politician who served as Chief Cabinet…
Yasuhisa Shiozaki (塩崎 恭久, Shiozaki Yasuhisa; born 7 November 1950) is a Japanese politician who served as Chief Cabinet Secretary to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe until August 2007.
Tetsuro Matsuzawa (松沢 哲郎, Matsuzawa Tetsurō; born October 15, 1950) is a primatologist who was a past director of the…
Tetsuro Matsuzawa (松沢 哲郎, Matsuzawa Tetsurō; born October 15, 1950) is a primatologist who was a past director of the Primate Research Institute of Kyoto University. He graduated from Kyoto University with a B.A. degree in 1974, a Psy.M. degree in 1976 and a Ph.D. degree in Science in 1989. Matsuzawa is known for his research on chimpanzee intelligence both in the laboratory and in the wild. His laboratory work consists of the "Ai project", which focuses on the language-like skills, number-concepts, and memory ability of a female chimpanzee named Ai. Started in 1978, it is one of the longest running laboratory research projects on chimpanzee intelligence. Matsuzawa has been a part of the project since the beginning. Matsuzawa has also studied tool use in the wild chimpanzees at Bossou, Guinea, West Africa since 1986. The bossou chimpanzee community consists of about 12 individuals and has been studied by Japanese researchers for three decades. Bossou chimps are well known to use a pair of stones as hammer and anvil to crack open oil-palm nuts. Long-term research on wild chimpanzee tool use revealed interesting topics like handedness of use of a hammer, critical period of learning nut-cracking at around 3 to 5 year old, "education by master-apprenticeship" and observational learning, possession of stones, deception, new tool use like algae-scooping, use of leaves for cushions, cultural variation in adjacent communities, etc. Matsuzawa's approach to research is to synthesize the field work and the laboratory work in order to understand the nature of chimpanzees, our evolutionary neighbors. Matsuzawa is well known for his research on chimpanzee memory, which suggests that chimpanzees outperform humans on some simple memory tasks. He has argued that this is evidence of a memorial capacity in young chimpanzees that is superior to that seen in adult humans. However, the accuracy of these findings has been disputed. A. Silberberg and D. Kearns have argued that the performance difference between human and chimpanzee trials can be explained by training effects on the tested chimpanzees. They did reach Ayumu's performance level after thousands of trials, as did humans in a subsequent study with training more closely matching that of the chimpanzees, but only for 5 numbers whereas Ayumu effortlessly does it for 9. In 2020, Kyoto University announced that Matsuzawa was involved in misappropriating the funding of Primate Research Institute.
Toshiyuki Kato (加藤 敏幸, Katō Toshiyuki; born February 16, 1949) is a Japanese politician of the Democratic Party of…
Toshiyuki Kato (加藤 敏幸, Katō Toshiyuki; born February 16, 1949) is a Japanese politician of the Democratic Party of Japan, a member of the House of Councillors in the Diet (national legislature). A native of Niihama, Ehime and high school graduate, he was elected for the first time in 2004.
Toshinori Kondo (近藤 等則, Kondō Toshinori; 15 December 1948 – 17 October 2020) was a Japanese trumpeter known for working…
Toshinori Kondo (近藤 等則, Kondō Toshinori; 15 December 1948 – 17 October 2020) was a Japanese trumpeter known for working avant-garde jazz and jazz fusion.
Koichi Yamamoto (山本 公一, Yamamoto Kōichi; 4 September 1947 – 31 October 2023) was a Japanese politician of the Liberal…
Koichi Yamamoto (山本 公一, Yamamoto Kōichi; 4 September 1947 – 31 October 2023) was a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature).
Hajime Sorayama (空山 基, Sorayama Hajime; born February 22, 1947) is a Japanese illustrator known, along for his design…
Hajime Sorayama (空山 基, Sorayama Hajime; born February 22, 1947) is a Japanese illustrator known, along for his design work on the original Sony AIBO, for his precisely detailed, erotic portrayals of feminine robots. He describes his highly detailed style as "superrealism", which he says "deals with the technical issue of how close one can get to one's object."
Masako Yashiro (矢代まさこ, Yashiro Masako; born January 13, 1947) is a Japanese manga artist. An artist of both shōjo manga…
Masako Yashiro (矢代まさこ, Yashiro Masako; born January 13, 1947) is a Japanese manga artist. An artist of both shōjo manga (manga for girls) and shōnen manga (manga for boys), her 1970 manga series Secret Love (シークレットラブ; Shīkuretto Rabu) has been described as the first manga in the yuri (female-female romance) genre.
Kunihiro Fujioka (藤岡 邦弘, Fujioka Kunihiro; born February 19, 1946 in Kuma, Ehime (now Kumakōgen, Ehime)), better known…
Kunihiro Fujioka (藤岡 邦弘, Fujioka Kunihiro; born February 19, 1946 in Kuma, Ehime (now Kumakōgen, Ehime)), better known by his stage name Hiroshi Fujioka, (藤岡 弘、, Fujioka Hiroshi,), is a Japanese actor.
Yasuhiro Takai (高井 保弘, Takai Yasuhiro; 1 February 1945 – 13 December 2019) was a Japanese professional baseball first…
Yasuhiro Takai (高井 保弘, Takai Yasuhiro; 1 February 1945 – 13 December 2019) was a Japanese professional baseball first baseman and designated hitter in Nippon Professional Baseball for the Hankyu Braves. Takai was born on 1 February 1945 in Imabari, Ehime. He attended Ehime Prefectural Imabari West High School and played for the Nagoya Nissan Motor Company baseball team before signing with the Hankyu Braves in 1964. Takai was originally signed to the practice squad and made his Nippon Professional Baseball debut in 1966. Over the course of his career, Takai became known for his extensive research into opposing pitchers. He set the NPB record for pinch-hit home runs, with 27. After he retired in 1982, Takai served as a broadcaster. Takai died of kidney failure on 13 December 2019, at a hospital in Nishinomiya, aged 74.
Tadashi Irie (入江 禎, Irie Tadashi; born December 9, 1944 in Uwajima, Ehime) is a yakuza, the head (kumicho) of the…
Tadashi Irie (入江 禎, Irie Tadashi; born December 9, 1944 in Uwajima, Ehime) is a yakuza, the head (kumicho) of the Osaka-based 2nd Takumi-gumi and the grand general manager (so-honbucho) of the 6th Yamaguchi-gumi. He is regarded as the number-three leader of the 6th Yamaguchi-gumi, the largest known yakuza syndicate.
Susumu Koshimizu (小清水 漸, Koshimizu Susumu; born 1944) is a Japanese sculptor and an installation artist. He is one of…
Susumu Koshimizu (小清水 漸, Koshimizu Susumu; born 1944) is a Japanese sculptor and an installation artist. He is one of the key members of Mono-ha, a group of artists who became prominent in the late 1960s and 1970s. Mono-ha was the name given to a loosely associated group of artists whose work was stridently anti-modernist—consisting primarily of sculptures and installations that incorporated basic materials such as rocks, sand, wood, cotton, glass and metal, often in simple arrangements with minimal artistic intervention. From early on, Susumu Koshimizu's investigation of material and space resulted in some of Mono-ha's most definitive artworks. Koshimizu's installations and sculptures during the 1960s and 1970s focused on the qualities inherent to but not visible in an object. Yet, he shows concern for the materiality of objects—a desire to expose the fundamentals of sculpture, often revealed through juxtaposition. In Paper (formerly Paper 2) (1969), he placed a large stone inside an even larger envelope of Japanese paper, open on one side. Viewers were able to look inside and—in the sculptural context of relating interior structure to exterior form—were confronted with the sheer size and solidity of the stone in contrast to the thin membrane of paper that covers it. Crack the Stone in August '70 consisted of an immense block of granite split in two at the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo. At that time, Koshimizu was exploring the fundamentals of sculpture without the need for juxtaposition: splitting open the stone and exposing its inside was a means to show the materiality and presence of the rock itself. At the beginning of the 1970s, Koshimizu started to explore specifically the structure of surfaces. A single installation, "From Surface to Surface (Wooden Logs Placed in a Radial Pattern on the Ground)" (1972/2004) is a good example. The work is composed of thirty, thirteen-foot-long square beams of wood, the surfaces of which have been sliced at varying intervals and angles to create undulating expanses of geometric form. Koshimizu's work since the 1980s has explored a variety of Japanese woods though the concept of "working tables.”
Misako Katayama (片山 美佐子, Katayama Misako; born 11 April 1944) is a Japanese track and field athlete. She competed in…
Misako Katayama (片山 美佐子, Katayama Misako; born 11 April 1944) is a Japanese track and field athlete. She competed in the women's javelin throw at the 1964 Summer Olympics.
Jun Shiraoka (白岡 順, Shiraoka Jun; 1944 – 17 March 2016) was a Japanese photographer. Internationally exhibited…
Jun Shiraoka (白岡 順, Shiraoka Jun; 1944 – 17 March 2016) was a Japanese photographer. Internationally exhibited photographer Shiraoka pursued his singular photographic vision largely outside his native Japan, working abroad for almost three decades.
Kichijiro Hamada (浜田 吉次郎, Hamada Kichijirō; 25 October 1942 – 22 September 2013) was a Japanese boxer. He competed in…
Kichijiro Hamada (浜田 吉次郎, Hamada Kichijirō; 25 October 1942 – 22 September 2013) was a Japanese boxer. He competed in the men's welterweight event at the 1964 Summer Olympics.
Hiroomi Yamada (山田 宏臣, Yamada Hiroomi; 4 March 1942 – 21 October 1981) was a Japanese long jumper who competed in the…
Hiroomi Yamada (山田 宏臣, Yamada Hiroomi; 4 March 1942 – 21 October 1981) was a Japanese long jumper who competed in the 1964 Summer Olympics and in the 1968 Summer Olympics. Yamada was the first Asian to jump eight metres, doing so with a leap 8.01 at Odawara on June 7, 1970. Yamada twice finished second at the British AAA Championships, behind Lynn Davies at the 1968 AAA Championships and behind Alan Lerwill at the 1970 AAA Championships.
A number of individuals whose backgrounds are important to the understanding of the Olympus scandal, which was…
A number of individuals whose backgrounds are important to the understanding of the Olympus scandal, which was precipitated on 14 October 2011 when the company's British-born chief executive, Michael Woodford, was suddenly ousted as chief executive of Olympus Corporation. He had been only two weeks into the job when he exposed "one of the biggest and longest-running loss-hiding arrangements in Japanese corporate history", according to The Wall Street Journal. The US$2.2 billion deal in 2008 to acquire British medical equipment maker Gyrus Group, and the US$687 million paid to a middle-man, were questioned. After initial denials, the company admitted that prior acquisitions had been used to cover investment losses. As regulators and police on three continents begin to investigate and trace the movement of the money, there was speculation that organised crime was involved in the missing millions. Olympus defended itself against allegations of impropriety, citing its audit board's view that "no dishonesty or illegality is found in the transaction itself, nor any breach of the obligation to good management or any systematic errors by the directors recognised."
Kyō Noguchi (June 14, 1939 – January 1, 2009) was a Japanese former professional boxer who was best known for winning…
Kyō Noguchi (June 14, 1939 – January 1, 2009) was a Japanese former professional boxer who was best known for winning the Japanese flyweight title and fighting for the Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation title.
Takayasu Okushima (奥島 孝康, Okushima Takayasu; 16 April 1939 – 1 May 2024) was a Japanese law professor, President of…
Takayasu Okushima (奥島 孝康, Okushima Takayasu; 16 April 1939 – 1 May 2024) was a Japanese law professor, President of Hakuoh University, President of Waseda University, the 10th Chief Scout of the Scout Association of Japan since 1 April 2010, and served as the Camp Chief of the 23rd World Scout Jamboree. In addition, Okushima was the Japan High School Baseball Federation (JHBF) President and Japan Student Baseball Association (JSBA) Director, and served as Member at-large of the Baseball Federation of Japan. Okushima died of pneumonia in Tokyo on 1 May 2024, at the age of 85.
Haruhiro Yamashita (山下 治広, Yamashita Haruhiro; November 11, 1938 – June 19, 2026) was a Japanese gymnast, who competed…
Haruhiro Yamashita (山下 治広, Yamashita Haruhiro; November 11, 1938 – June 19, 2026) was a Japanese gymnast, who competed in the 1964 Summer Olympics. He won two gold medals, in the vault and team combined exercises. After marriage he changed his last name from Yamashita to Matsuda (松田), adopting his aunt's surname, who took care of him as a child. In 1961, he graduated from Nippon Sport Science University, where in 1983 he became professor and later professor emeritus. In the early 1970s he was an assistant gymnastics coach under Roger Council at the Indiana State University. There he began his research on biorhythms. Yamashita also trained the national gymnastics team, at the 1976 Summer Olympics and at the Asian Games in 1990, and held senior positions with the Japan Gymnastics Association. In 2000 Yamashita was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame. He was an honorary citizen of his native town of Uwajima. Yamashita died on June 19, 2026, at the age of 87.
Osamu Tsuno (津野 修, Tsuno Osamu; born 20 October 1938) is a Japanese official and jurist who served as justice of the…
Osamu Tsuno (津野 修, Tsuno Osamu; born 20 October 1938) is a Japanese official and jurist who served as justice of the Supreme Court from 2004 to 2008 and as Director General of the Cabinet Legislation Bureau from 1999 to 2002. Tsuno studied law at Kyoto University, graduated in 1962 and joined the Ministry of Finance. He held several positions in the Ministry before being transferred to the Cabinet Legislation Bureau in 1986, becoming director of the Third Department. He successively became director of the First Department in 1992, Deputy Director General in 1996 and Director General in 1999. He retired in 2002. He was appointed to the Supreme Court in 2004 and served until 2008, when he reached the obligatory retirement age.
Yōko Matsuyama (松山 容子, Matsuyama Yōko; born 30 November 1937 in Matsuyama, Ehime, Japan) is a Japanese actress best…
Yōko Matsuyama (松山 容子, Matsuyama Yōko; born 30 November 1937 in Matsuyama, Ehime, Japan) is a Japanese actress best known for her work in the Crimson Bat series.
Keiko Abe (安倍 圭子, Abe Keiko; born April 18, 1937) is a Japanese composer and marimba player. She has been a primary…
Keiko Abe (安倍 圭子, Abe Keiko; born April 18, 1937) is a Japanese composer and marimba player. She has been a primary figure in the development of the marimba, in terms of expanding both technique and repertoire, and through her collaboration with the Yamaha Corporation, developed the modern five-octave concert marimba.
Masayuki Akehi (明比 正行, Akehi Masayuki; Born March 17, 1937) is a Japanese anime director.
Masahiro Yoshimura (Japanese: 吉村 昌弘; 28 October 1936 – 27 September 2003) is a Japanese swimmer and Olympic medalist.…
Masahiro Yoshimura (Japanese: 吉村 昌弘; 28 October 1936 – 27 September 2003) is a Japanese swimmer and Olympic medalist. He participated at the 1956 Summer Olympics, winning a silver medal in 200 metre breaststroke.
Toshiaki Tsushima (津島 利章, Tsushima Toshiaki; 22 May 1936 – 25 November 2013) was a Japanese composer, mainly known for…
Toshiaki Tsushima (津島 利章, Tsushima Toshiaki; 22 May 1936 – 25 November 2013) was a Japanese composer, mainly known for his film scores. Born in Okayama Prefecture, he graduated from the Arts Department of Nihon University in Tokyo. He died on November 25, 2013, of pneumonia.
Tōru Shinohara (篠原とおる, Shinohara Tōru; born April 28, 1936) is a Japanese manga artist. He was born in Niihama, Ehime.…
Tōru Shinohara (篠原とおる, Shinohara Tōru; born April 28, 1936) is a Japanese manga artist. He was born in Niihama, Ehime. After graduating from high school in 1955, he started working at a factory in Osaka making car parts but quit after only ten months. He studied manga via a mail-offered course and wrote to various manga magazines. In 1958, came his first commercially printed work Fukumenhakushi (覆面博士) and he began his career as a manga artist. He is best known for Nippon Keibaden that detailed the history of Japan's horse racing industry and its horses. He is also known for beautiful amazon-like heroines who are never daunted by the hardship they endure. Since 1970, he has written a series of works titled Sasori, lit. scorpion, which is the name for a female inmate and heroine seeking escape and revenge upon those who wronged her. Director Shunya Ito started a series of ten films starring Meiko Kaji based on the manga, the most famous one being the initial film, Female Prisoner 701: Scorpion. However, Ito withdrew from the project after three, and Kaji four films. Many of his works have been turned into movies since 1972.
Kenzaburō Ōe (大江 健三郎, Ōe Kenzaburō; 31 January 1935 – 3 March 2023) was a Japanese writer and a major figure in…
Kenzaburō Ōe (大江 健三郎, Ōe Kenzaburō; 31 January 1935 – 3 March 2023) was a Japanese writer and a major figure in contemporary Japanese literature. His novels, short stories and essays, strongly influenced by French and American literature and literary theory, deal with political, social and philosophical issues, including nuclear weapons, nuclear power, social non-conformism, and existentialism. Ōe was awarded the 1994 Nobel Prize in Literature for creating "an imagined world, where life and myth condense to form a disconcerting picture of the human predicament today".
Kazuko Ito-Yamaizumi (山泉 和子, Yamaizumi Kazuko; January 17, 1935 – August 27, 2024) was an international table tennis…
Kazuko Ito-Yamaizumi (山泉 和子, Yamaizumi Kazuko; January 17, 1935 – August 27, 2024) was an international table tennis player from Japan.
Moriyuki Kato (加戸 守行, Kato Moriyuki; 18 September 1934 – 21 March 2020) was a Japanese politician who served as the…
Moriyuki Kato (加戸 守行, Kato Moriyuki; 18 September 1934 – 21 March 2020) was a Japanese politician who served as the governor of Ehime Prefecture. He was first elected in 1999 and held the position until he was defeated by Tokihiro Nakamura in 2010. A native of Yawatahama, Ehime and graduate of the University of Tokyo, he joined the Ministry of Education in 1957. He died on 21 March 2020, aged 85.
Takeshi Noma (Japanese: 野間赳 Noma Takeshi; 3 April 1934 – 11 March 2023) was a Japanese politician. A member of the…
Takeshi Noma (Japanese: 野間赳 Noma Takeshi; 3 April 1934 – 11 March 2023) was a Japanese politician. A member of the Liberal Democratic Party, he served in the House of Councillors from 1992 to 2004. Noma died on 11 March 2023, at the age of 88.
Osamu Inoue (井上 治, Inoue Osamu; born 16 September 1932) is a Japanese former long-distance runner who competed in the…
Osamu Inoue (井上 治, Inoue Osamu; born 16 September 1932) is a Japanese former long-distance runner who competed in the 1952 Summer Olympics.
Syukuro "Suki" Manabe (真鍋 淑郎, Manabe Shukurō; born 21 September 1931) is a Japanese–American physicist, meteorologist…
Syukuro "Suki" Manabe (真鍋 淑郎, Manabe Shukurō; born 21 September 1931) is a Japanese–American physicist, meteorologist, and climatologist, who pioneered the use of computers to simulate global climate change and natural climate variations. He was awarded the 2021 Nobel Prize in Physics jointly with Klaus Hasselmann and Giorgio Parisi, for his contributions to the physical modeling of Earth's climate, quantifying its variability, and predictions of climate change.
Motoshi Fujita (藤田 元司, Fujita Motoshi; (August 7, 1931 – February 9, 2006) was a Japanese professional baseball pitcher…
Motoshi Fujita (藤田 元司, Fujita Motoshi; (August 7, 1931 – February 9, 2006) was a Japanese professional baseball pitcher and manager. He spent his entire career with the Yomiuri Giants of Nippon Professional Baseball, winning two Japan Series titles as a player and two more as manager.
Yoshimitsu Banno (坂野 義光, Banno Yoshimitsu; March 30, 1931 – May 7, 2017) was a Japanese film director, best known for…
Yoshimitsu Banno (坂野 義光, Banno Yoshimitsu; March 30, 1931 – May 7, 2017) was a Japanese film director, best known for the cult-classic Godzilla vs. Hedorah (1971), which he directed and co-wrote. Banno was a special guest at G-Fest XII in 2005. He was an executive producer on Legendary Pictures' Godzilla (2014), and has received posthumous executive producer credit for subsequent projects in the MonsterVerse. He died of a subarachnoid hemorrhage on May 7, 2017, at his home in Kawasaki at the age of 86. Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019) was dedicated to his memory along with Haruo Nakajima's.
Shungo Sawada (born Tokyo, February 10, 1930 - died August 28, 2006) was a Japanese jazz guitarist. Sawada began…
Shungo Sawada (born Tokyo, February 10, 1930 - died August 28, 2006) was a Japanese jazz guitarist. Sawada began playing guitar at twelve years old, and played in his early twenties on US military installations. He founded his own group, Double Beats, in 1954, and led a five-piece band in the mid-1960s. His Japanese sidemen included Shotaro Moriyasu, Norio Maeda, Akitoshi Igarashi, and Motohiko Hino; he also played with visiting American musicians such as Stan Getz, Dizzy Gillespie, Benny Goodman, Thad Jones, Helen Merrill, Oscar Peterson, and Sonny Stitt. He was the founder of the label Elec in 1972, and later taught at Roots College of Music in Tokyo.
Akira Kono (河野昭, Konō Akira; 11 September 1929 – 25 December 1995) was a Japanese gymnast who competed in the 1956…
Akira Kono (河野昭, Konō Akira; 11 September 1929 – 25 December 1995) was a Japanese gymnast who competed in the 1956 Summer Olympics.