Masataka Ogawa (小川 正孝, Ogawa Masataka; 21 February 1865 – 11 July 1930) was a Japanese chemist mainly known for the…
Masataka Ogawa (小川 正孝, Ogawa Masataka; 21 February 1865 – 11 July 1930) was a Japanese chemist mainly known for the claimed discovery of element 43 (later known as technetium), which he named nipponium. In fact, he had discovered, but misidentified, element 75 (later called rhenium). After graduating from the University of Tokyo, he studied under William Ramsay in London, where he worked on the analysis of the rare mineral thorianite. He extracted and isolated a small amount of an apparently unknown substance from the mineral, which he announced as the discovery of element 43, naming the newly discovered element nipponium. He published his results in 1909 and a notice was also published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society. For this work, he was awarded a doctorate and the highest prize of the Tokyo Chemical Society. However, no other researchers were able to replicate his discovery, and the announcement was forgotten. Ogawa served as president of Tohoku University between 1919 and 1928. While the name nipponium could not be reused for another element, element 113 was also discovered by a team of Japanese scientists and is now named nihonium, also after Japan. The name was chosen in respectful homage to Ogawa's work.
Famous People from Ehime Prefecture
Ehime Prefecture: 272 people
Asashio Tarō (朝汐 太郎, November 28, 1864 – August 26, 1920) was a sumo wrestler from Ehime Prefecture, Japan. His highest…
Asashio Tarō (朝汐 太郎, November 28, 1864 – August 26, 1920) was a sumo wrestler from Ehime Prefecture, Japan. His highest rank was ozeki.
Baron Hozumi Nobushige (穂積 陳重; 23 August 1855 – 7 April 1926) was a Japanese statesman and jurist of the Meiji period.
Onigatani Saiji (鬼ヶ谷才治, April 19, 1855 – February 2, 1931) was a Japanese sumo wrestler who is known for being active…
Onigatani Saiji (鬼ヶ谷才治, April 19, 1855 – February 2, 1931) was a Japanese sumo wrestler who is known for being active in the top makuuchi division at the age of 51, which is a record after the beginning of the Meiji era.
Masayoshi Oshikawa (押川方義; 1850–1928) was a Japanese evangelist, political activist and founder and first president of…
Masayoshi Oshikawa (押川方義; 1850–1928) was a Japanese evangelist, political activist and founder and first president of Tohoku Gakuin University.
Tetchou Suehiro (末広 鐵腸, Suehiro Tetchō; March 15, 1849 – February 5, 1896), born Yuujirou Suehiro (末広 雄次郎, Suehiro…
Tetchou Suehiro (末広 鐵腸, Suehiro Tetchō; March 15, 1849 – February 5, 1896), born Yuujirou Suehiro (末広 雄次郎, Suehiro Yūjirō) was a Japanese politician, novelist, and journalist. He was proponent of the Freedom and People's Rights Movement. Born of samurai lineage in what is now Ehime Prefecture, he was the second son of the family. His father, Teisuke, was an accountant. He graduated from a local samurai school and became a teacher in 1869. Thereafter, he moved to Tokyo and worked for the Ministry of Finance for six years before going into the newspaper business. He was imprisoned twice for challenging the existing free press laws and was instrumental in forming the first national political party. He wrote a political, proto-science fiction novel Setchūbai (Plum Blossoms in the Snow, 1886). The income from his books allowed him to travel to the United States and Europe in 1888, around which time he briefly became the travelling companion of Filipino propagandist and patriot José Rizal. He would later acknowledge Rizal's influence in another novel, Nanyo no daiharan (The Great Wave in the South Seas). In 1890 he was elected in the first national election, but was later ousted because he left the Liberal Party. Suehiro was still a member of the Diet (Meiji 29) when he died in 1896 of tongue cancer and was buried in Ehime.
Isaniwa Yukiya (伊佐庭如矢, Isaniwa Yukiya) (1828–1907) was the first mayor of Dogo Yunomachi (道後湯之町) which is famous for…
Isaniwa Yukiya (伊佐庭如矢, Isaniwa Yukiya) (1828–1907) was the first mayor of Dogo Yunomachi (道後湯之町) which is famous for Dōgo Onsen. He made today's Dōgo Onsen while he was the mayor. He thought the tourism era would come in the future, so he made a plan to make the city into a resort city.
Takeda Ayasaburō (武田 斐三郎; November 4, 1827 - January 28, 1880), was a Japanese Rangaku scholar, and the architect of…
Takeda Ayasaburō (武田 斐三郎; November 4, 1827 - January 28, 1880), was a Japanese Rangaku scholar, and the architect of the fortress of Goryōkaku in Hokkaidō. Takeda was born in the Ōzu Domain (modern-day Ōzu, Ehime) in 1827. He studied medicine, Western sciences (rangaku), navigation, military architecture. He was a student of Ogata Kōan and Sakuma Shōzan. In 1854 he was ordered to the island of Hokkaidō to reinforce the military infrastructure. He built the fortresses of Goryōkaku and Benten Daiba between 1854 and 1866, using Dutch books on military architecture, and also established a school. He also practiced sailing with the Hakodate Maru, one of Japan's first Western-style sailing ship, together with his students. He sailed to Russia with the ship, and engaged in some exchanges.
Akihiko Ishizumi (石住 昭彦, Ishizumi Akihiko; October 25, 1961) is a Japanese stage actor and voice actor from Ehime…
Akihiko Ishizumi (石住 昭彦, Ishizumi Akihiko; October 25, 1961) is a Japanese stage actor and voice actor from Ehime Prefecture. He is attached to Engekishūdan En. He is best known for his roles in The Powerpuff Girls (as the Mayor) and Hi Hi Puffy AmiYumi (as Kaz). He often voices middle-aged or elderly characters and has an extensive career in dubbing Western works.
Ayumi Tsuji (辻あゆみ, Tsuji Ayumi) is a Japanese voice actress from Ehime Prefecture. She is affiliated with Mausu…
Ayumi Tsuji (辻あゆみ, Tsuji Ayumi) is a Japanese voice actress from Ehime Prefecture. She is affiliated with Mausu Promotion. Her major roles are Kozue Orihara in Chaos;Head, Rose in Red Garden, Elise in Sky Girls, and Bara-tan (Baratack) in Robot Girls Z.
Kenji Takahashi (高橋 健二, Takahashi Kenji; February 5, 1955 – May 6, 2026), known professionally as Kenji Ohba (大葉 健二…
Kenji Takahashi (高橋 健二, Takahashi Kenji; February 5, 1955 – May 6, 2026), known professionally as Kenji Ohba (大葉 健二, Ōba Kenji) was a Japanese actor and stuntman best known for his roles in the Super Sentai and Metal Heroes series, especially as Retsu Ichijouji/Gavan in the 1982 television series Space Sheriff Gavan.
Tsuyoshi Kusanagi (草彅 剛, Kusanagi Tsuyoshi; born July 9, 1974 in Seiyo, Ehime, Japan) is a Japanese actor, singer…
Tsuyoshi Kusanagi (草彅 剛, Kusanagi Tsuyoshi; born July 9, 1974 in Seiyo, Ehime, Japan) is a Japanese actor, singer, television host, and a former member of SMAP, one of the best-selling boy bands in Asia.
Mika Saiki (佐伯 美香, Saiki Mika; born September 25, 1972) is a retired Japanese beach volleyball and indoor volleyball…
Mika Saiki (佐伯 美香, Saiki Mika; born September 25, 1972) is a retired Japanese beach volleyball and indoor volleyball player. Saiki competed at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta in volleyball. She then competed at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney and the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing in beach volleyball.
Minoru Shiraishi (白石 稔, Shiraishi Minoru; born October 18, 1978 in Ehime Prefecture) is a Japanese actor, voice actor…
Minoru Shiraishi (白石 稔, Shiraishi Minoru; born October 18, 1978 in Ehime Prefecture) is a Japanese actor, voice actor, singer, songwriter, and radio personality who was formerly affiliated with I'm Enterprise and Pro-Fit. He is the only "live-action" character (as he played "himself" in Lucky☆Star) in the Newtype Anime magazine to be featured in the Monthly Top-10 Most-Popular Male Character charts. He played himself in Episode 6 of Kiddy Girl-and as a voice actor in a voice actor cafe. Other roles include Taniguchi in the Haruhi Suzumiya series, and Itsuki Takeuchi in the Initial D reboot feature films in 2014. Minoru married on August 9, 2011, but has chosen to keep his wife's identity anonymous. On December 29, 2015, Minoru revealed that he has facial paralysis, making him unable to move the right side of his face. He is currently taking medication and undergoing treatment.
Kaori Manabe (眞鍋 かをり, Manabe Kaori) is a Japanese talent, gravure idol and actress. She was born on May 31, 1980, in…
Kaori Manabe (眞鍋 かをり, Manabe Kaori) is a Japanese talent, gravure idol and actress. She was born on May 31, 1980, in Ehime Prefecture, Japan.
Koichiro Nishi (西 興一朗, Nishi Kōichirō; born October 17, 1979 in Ehime Prefecture) is a Japanese actor who is affiliated…
Koichiro Nishi (西 興一朗, Nishi Kōichirō; born October 17, 1979 in Ehime Prefecture) is a Japanese actor who is affiliated with CES. He played the role of Ryoga Hakua (Aba Red) in the 2003 Super Sentai TV series Bakuryū Sentai Abaranger.
Yoichi Shiraishi is a Japanese politician who served as a member of the House of Representatives of Japan.
Tomoko Honda (本田朋子, Honda Tomoko; 16 August 1983 in Matsuyama, Ehime) is an announcer associated with the Phonics…
Tomoko Honda (本田朋子, Honda Tomoko; 16 August 1983 in Matsuyama, Ehime) is an announcer associated with the Phonics entertainment agency, and who formerly was an announcer on Fuji Television. Honda attended Rikkyo University, where she was selected to be "Miss Rikyo" in 2002, resulting in her being recruited by the Cent. Force talent agency. She graduated in 2006, and has been working for Fuji TV since April of that year. In 2013, she moved from Fuji TV to Phonics to become a freelance announcer. Honda used to date Makoto Hasebe, but the relationship ended by 2010. She married basketball player Kei Igarashi in 2013, and later announced her first pregnancy in 2018.
Masayoshi Ōishi (大石 昌良, Ōishi Masayoshi; born January 5, 1980) is a Japanese musician. His professional music career…
Masayoshi Ōishi (大石 昌良, Ōishi Masayoshi; born January 5, 1980) is a Japanese musician. His professional music career began in 2001 as vocalist of the band Sound Schedule. Following the band's disbandment in 2006, he began a solo career, releasing his debut single "Honoka Terasu" in 2008. Sound Schedule reunited in 2011, with Ōishi returning as the band's vocalist. Ōishi is also vocalist of the musical group OxT, led by composer Tom Hack. In 2014, Ōishi's song "Kimi Ja Nakya Dame Mitai" was used as the opening theme to the anime series Monthly Girls' Nozaki-kun, and in 2018, his song "Otomodachi Film" was used as the opening theme to the anime series Tada Never Falls in Love. In 2023 his song "Megane Go Round" was used as the ending theme to the anime Suki na Ko ga Megane o Wasureta. He has also written songs for other artists, such as "Yōkoso Japari Park e" which was used as the opening theme to the anime series Kemono Friends.
Reiko Tosa (土佐 礼子, Tosa Reiko; born 11 June 1976) is a Japanese long-distance runner who specializes in the marathon…
Reiko Tosa (土佐 礼子, Tosa Reiko; born 11 June 1976) is a Japanese long-distance runner who specializes in the marathon race. She was born in Matsuyama, Ehime.
Rika Nomoto (born 21 September 1991) is a Japanese volleyball player. She is part of the Japan women's national…
Rika Nomoto (born 21 September 1991) is a Japanese volleyball player. She is part of the Japan women's national volleyball team. She competed at the 2017 FIVB Volleyball Women's World Grand Champions Cup, and the 2017 FIVB Volleyball World Grand Prix. With her club Hisamitsu Springs she competed at the 2014 and 2015 FIVB Volleyball Women's Club World Championship.
Kotomi Yamane (山根 ことみ, Yamane Kotomi; born March 9, 1998) is a Japanese women's shogi player ranked 3-dan.