Kazuma Ieiri (家入 一真, Ieiri Kazuma; born December 28, 1978) is a Japanese entrepreneur recognized by Forbes as one of…
Kazuma Ieiri (家入 一真, Ieiri Kazuma; born December 28, 1978) is a Japanese entrepreneur recognized by Forbes as one of Japan’s leading figures in the startup ecosystem. He is the founder and former director (until 2011) of the web hosting company paperboy & co., and the founder of the crowdfunding platform studygift. In 2014, he ran as a candidate in the 2014 Tokyo gubernatorial election. In 2017, he co-founded NOW Venture Capital in Tokyo alongside investment bankers from Mizuho Financial Group and a certified public accountant with an MBA from the London Business School. The firm has since invested in over 63 companies.
Famous People from Fukuoka Prefecture
Fukuoka Prefecture: 27 people
Makoto Azuma (東 信, Azuma Makoto; born July 24, 1976) is a Japanese flower artist, botanical sculptor, and co-founder of…
Makoto Azuma (東 信, Azuma Makoto; born July 24, 1976) is a Japanese flower artist, botanical sculptor, and co-founder of JARDINS des FLEURS.
Takafumi Horie (堀江 貴文, Horie Takafumi; born October 29, 1972) is a Japanese entrepreneur who founded Livedoor, a…
Takafumi Horie (堀江 貴文, Horie Takafumi; born October 29, 1972) is a Japanese entrepreneur who founded Livedoor, a website design operation that grew into a popular internet portal. After being arrested and charged with securities fraud in 2006, he severed all connections with the company. His trial began on September 4, 2006. On March 16, 2007, Horie was sentenced to imprisonment of 2 years and 6 months. He is popularly known as Horiemon (ホリエモン) due to his resemblance to Doraemon, the chubby robot cat in a popular Japanese cartoon. The name Horiemon was also given to a racehorse he owned, after the name had been chosen by voting on a Livedoor website.
Tsuyoshi Shinjo (新庄 剛志, Shinjō Tsuyoshi; January 28, 1972), also known during the 2022 Nippon Professional Baseball…
Tsuyoshi Shinjo (新庄 剛志, Shinjō Tsuyoshi; January 28, 1972), also known during the 2022 Nippon Professional Baseball season as BIGBOSS (ビッグボス, Biggubosu), is a former Japanese professional baseball outfielder and the current manager for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). Shinjo began his playing career with the Hanshin Tigers, and moved to the United States to play in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Mets. He is the second Japanese-born position player to play an MLB game, as well as the first in the National League. In 2002, he joined the San Francisco Giants and was the first Japanese-born player to appear in the World Series. He had a second stint with the Mets in 2003, and returned to Japan to play for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters, with whom he won the Japan Series in his final season.
Akihiro Hino (日野 晃博, Hino Akihiro; born July 20, 1968) is a Japanese video game designer, producer, scriptwriter, and…
Akihiro Hino (日野 晃博, Hino Akihiro; born July 20, 1968) is a Japanese video game designer, producer, scriptwriter, and businessman. He is the founder, president, and chief executive officer of Level-5. Hino has held multiple roles in game development, including programming, scenario writing, directing, and executive production.
Kensuke Sasaki (Japanese: 佐々木 健介, Sasaki Kensuke; born August 4, 1966) is a Japanese retired professional wrestler. He…
Kensuke Sasaki (Japanese: 佐々木 健介, Sasaki Kensuke; born August 4, 1966) is a Japanese retired professional wrestler. He is best known for his numerous runs in the top three Japanese wrestling promotions; New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW), and Pro Wrestling Noah. He was the founder and owner of the now-defunct wrestling promotion Diamond Ring, which was also named Kensuke Office. Sasaki is the first of five men ever to hold all three of puroresu's major heavyweight titles (the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, the Triple Crown Heavyweight Championship, and the GHC Heavyweight Championship), the others being Yoshihiro Takayama, Keiji Muto, Satoshi Kojima, and Yuji Nagata - totaling seven world championship reigns. Sasaki also competed in MMA and won both fights by submission, remaining undefeated in mixed martial arts competition.
Ken Nomura (Shinjitai: 野村謙, Nomura Ken; born Fukuoka, May 9, 1965) is a drifting driver from Japan. He made his debut…
Ken Nomura (Shinjitai: 野村謙, Nomura Ken; born Fukuoka, May 9, 1965) is a drifting driver from Japan. He made his debut in the D1 Grand Prix in the third round in 2001, driving the Blitz D1 Spec ER34 Skyline which he still drives. His nickname is Nomuken (のむけん) or Monkey Magic (as a reference to his company). In his youth, Nomura was a baseball player and was very well known within his region, but his career never progressed any further through injury and turned to property developing. Once he gained his driving licence, he was dedicated to night-time street drag racing and then progressed to touge racing. In 1992, Nomuken was runner up in the "All Japan Ikaten" Finals and later in 1996 opened his own tuning shop Uras (reverse for saru, Japanese for monkey), producing drift specific products. When he first joined the D1GP series in 2000, Nomura's performance was average, he had been away from drifting for some time before competing in its inaugural year. But as soon as he signed a contract with parts manufacturer Blitz as a works driver, his skills quickly developed. In the D1 events, Nomura is known for his imitation of a monkey, as the pioneer of the smoke technique, he drifts with the most smoke. He is widely a fan favorite in the series. He also competes in the budget spinoff series, D1 Street Legal with a toned down version of his Skyline. In 2006, Nomura won the D1GP Non Championship Event World All Star. Nomura has also appeared for a TV commercial for his sponsor, Dunlop Tires in Japan, appears as a guest presenter in Video Option and Drift Tengoku as well as a columnist for the Option magazine and judges in drift events. Nomura announced his intention to retire after the 2018 season on Twitter, and ran his last full-time race on Odaiba.
Mitsuko Tottori (鳥取 三津子, Tottori Mitsuko; born 31 December 1964) is a Japanese airline executive. She was named…
Mitsuko Tottori (鳥取 三津子, Tottori Mitsuko; born 31 December 1964) is a Japanese airline executive. She was named representative director, President and Chief Executive Officer of Japan Airlines (JAL) in April 2024, becoming the first woman to lead the company. Tottori began her career as a flight attendant. She joined Toa Domestic Airlines (TDA) in 1985 after graduating from Kwassui Women's Junior College. TDA (later JAS) was merged with JAL in 2001. "Her leadership style is often described as calm, methodical, and people-focused, with a strong emphasis on safety, discipline, and corporate responsibility." She was ranked number 5 on the 2024 Fortune Most Powerful Women Asia list, and number 10 on the same list in 2025. Her estimated salary in 2026 is ¥240 million per year.
Mamiko Aso (麻生 真宮子, Asō Mamiko; born February 5, 1964), whose real name is Miwa Tajima (田島 みわ, Tajima Miwa), is a…
Mamiko Aso (麻生 真宮子, Asō Mamiko; born February 5, 1964), whose real name is Miwa Tajima (田島 みわ, Tajima Miwa), is a former Japanese idol, singer and actress of the 1980s, who is currently a businesswoman.
Shuji Utsumi (内海州史, Utsumi Shuji; born April 19, 1961) i is a Japanese business executive and video game producer who…
Shuji Utsumi (内海州史, Utsumi Shuji; born April 19, 1961) i is a Japanese business executive and video game producer who has been president and COO (chief operating officer) of Sega since April 2024. He is also CEO of Sega of America and Sega Europe. Utsumi previously held senior roles at Sony Computer Entertainment America (SCEA), Sega of America, and Disney Interactive, and co-founded the Tokyo-based game studio Q Entertainment.
Tsukasa Hojo (Japanese: 北条 司, Hepburn: Hōjō Tsukasa; born March 5, 1959, in Kokura, Kitakyushu, Japan) is a Japanese…
Tsukasa Hojo (Japanese: 北条 司, Hepburn: Hōjō Tsukasa; born March 5, 1959, in Kokura, Kitakyushu, Japan) is a Japanese manga artist. He studied technical design while still at Kyushu Sangyo University, where he began to draw manga. He worked on several one-shot stories before releasing his serialized works: Cat's Eye, City Hunter and Angel Heart. After the success of Cat's Eye and City Hunter, Hojo went on to work on other series such as Family Compo, a slice-of-life comedy with transgender themes. His most recent series is Angel Heart, a spin–off of City Hunter set in an alternate universe. It was serialized in Weekly Comic Bunch from 2001 to 2010, when the magazine ceased publication. From 2010 to 2017, the series continued under the title Angel Heart 2nd Season in Monthly Comic Zenon. 30 collected volumes have been published so far. Tsukasa Hojo is Takehiko Inoue's mentor. Inoue worked as an assistant to Hojo during the production of City Hunter. Hojo is also a long-time acquaintance of Fist of the North Star illustrator Tetsuo Hara, who was also one of the founders of Coamix. Hojo contributed to the production Fist of the North Star: The Legends of the True Savior film series by designing the character of Reina. He was honor guest of the eleventh French Japan Expo which was held in July 2010. Hojo is scheduled to be the Manga Guest of Honor at Japan Expo 2023.
Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd. is a Japanese multinational holding company, video game developer, publisher, and…
Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd. is a Japanese multinational holding company, video game developer, publisher, and entertainment conglomerate. It releases role-playing game franchises, such as Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, and Kingdom Hearts, among numerous others. Outside of video game publishing and development, it is also in the business of merchandise, arcade facilities, and manga publication under its Gangan Comics brand. The original Square Enix Co., Ltd. was formed in April 2003 from a merger between Square and Enix, with the latter as the surviving company. Each share of Square's common stock was exchanged for 0.85 shares of Enix's common stock. At the time, 80% of Square Enix staff were made up of former Square employees. As part of the merger, former Square president Yoichi Wada was appointed the president of the new corporation, while former Enix president Keiji Honda was named vice president. Yasuhiro Fukushima, the largest shareholder of the combined corporation and founder of Enix, became chairman. In October 2008, Square Enix conducted a company split between its corporate business and video game operations, reorganizing itself as the holding company Square Enix Holdings Co., Ltd., while its internally domestic video game operations were formed under the subsidiary Square Enix Co., Ltd. The group operates American, Chinese and European branches, based in Los Angeles, Beijing, Paris, Hamburg, and London respectively. Several of Square Enix's franchises have sold over 10 million copies worldwide after 2020, with Final Fantasy selling 212 million, Dragon Quest selling 97 million, and Kingdom Hearts shipping 36 million. In 2005, Square Enix acquired arcade corporation Taito. In 2009, Square Enix acquired Eidos plc, the parent company of British game publisher Eidos Interactive, which was then absorbed into its European branch. Square Enix is headquartered at the Shinjuku Eastside Square Building in Shinjuku, Tokyo, along with offices at Shibuya and Osaka. It has over 5,000 employees worldwide through its base operations and subsidiaries.
Hiromi Go (郷 ひろみ, Gō Hiromi; born October 18, 1955), is a Japanese singer, part of Sony Music Entertainment Japan. His…
Hiromi Go (郷 ひろみ, Gō Hiromi; born October 18, 1955), is a Japanese singer, part of Sony Music Entertainment Japan. His real name is Hiromi Haratake (原武 裕美, Haratake Hiromi). In the 1970s, he was called the "New Big Three" (新御三家, shin gosanke) with Goro Noguchi and Hideki Saijo. He belonged to Johnny & Associates, but three years after debut in 1975, left the agency. He also effectively became the Japanese answer to Ricky Martin after his 1999 Japanese version of "Livin' la Vida Loca," which was called "Goldfinger '99". His stage name's initials are "HG", and that, combined with his remake of Ricky Martin's "Livin la Vida Loca" made him a direct and frequent target of comedian Hard Gay. Go featured Japanese hip hop musician Dohzi-T in his R&B-style song "Kimi Dake o," released on May 14, 2008. "Kimi Dake o" was included in his album Place to Be, and the remix of the song was included as a bonus track in Dohzi-T's album 12 Love Stories. Go appeared in the Canadian film Samurai Cowboy with Catherine Mary Stewart and Robert Conrad, which was released in 1993. He was also invited to the Japanese touring ice show Fantasy on Ice in 2014, where he performed live with figure skater and two-time Olympic champion, Yuzuru Hanyu, to the song "Ienai yo" (lit. "I can't say it") amongst others.
Nobuyuki Koga (古賀 信行, Koga Nobuyuki; born August 22, 1950) is a Japanese businessman and lobbyist, as well as the…
Nobuyuki Koga (古賀 信行, Koga Nobuyuki; born August 22, 1950) is a Japanese businessman and lobbyist, as well as the chairman of the Japanese public broadcaster NHK.
Yoshiaki Harada (原田 義昭, Harada Yoshiaki; born 1 October 1944) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party…
Yoshiaki Harada (原田 義昭, Harada Yoshiaki; born 1 October 1944) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature). Harada represents the 2nd District of Kanagawa prefecture, which includes the cities of Kawasaki, Yokosuka, and Kamakura.
Yasumasa Furo (不老 安正, Furō Yasumasa; born 26 January 1944) is a Japanese sport shooter who competed in the 1988 Summer…
Yasumasa Furo (不老 安正, Furō Yasumasa; born 26 January 1944) is a Japanese sport shooter who competed in the 1988 Summer Olympics.
Katsuto Momii (籾井 勝人, Momii Katsuto; born 4 March 1943) is a Japanese businessman who was elected as NHK's 21st…
Katsuto Momii (籾井 勝人, Momii Katsuto; born 4 March 1943) is a Japanese businessman who was elected as NHK's 21st Director-General on 20 December 2013. He worked for Mitsui & Co. from 1965 until 2005. From 2005 until 2011, he worked as President and representative director of Unisys Japan.
Katsuhiro Nakagawa (中川 勝弘, Nakagawa Katsuhiro; March 11, 1942 – July 8, 2016) is the former vice chairman of Toyota…
Katsuhiro Nakagawa (中川 勝弘, Nakagawa Katsuhiro; March 11, 1942 – July 8, 2016) is the former vice chairman of Toyota Motor Corporation. Vice-Minister for International Affairs, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry in 1997–1998. Former president and CEO Katsuaki Watanabe replaced him as the new vice chairman of the company and Watanabe's spot being replaced by Akio Toyoda. Other corporate position held by Nakagawa: Chairman of Tokio Marine Capital Co., Ltd Auditor of Shochiku Co., Ltd. (2001–2014) Corporate Auditor of Aichi Steel Corp. (2006–present) President and Director of MX Mobiling Co., Ltd. (2008–?) Director of Mikuni Corporation (2013–present)
Seiji Sakaguchi (坂口征二, Sakaguchi Seiji; born February 17, 1942) is a Japanese retired professional wrestler and judoka…
Seiji Sakaguchi (坂口征二, Sakaguchi Seiji; born February 17, 1942) is a Japanese retired professional wrestler and judoka, Sakaguchi holds a 7th dan red and white belt in judo. Sakaguchi was a mainstay of New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) and also competed for the World Wide Wrestling Federation and the National Wrestling Alliance. His sons are professional wrestler and mixed martial arts fighter Yukio Sakaguchi and television actor Kenji Sakaguchi. Sakaguchi currently works for New Japan as an advisor.
Tarō Asō (麻生 太郎, Asō Tarō; born 20 September 1940) is a Japanese politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan from…
Tarō Asō (麻生 太郎, Asō Tarō; born 20 September 1940) is a Japanese politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan from 2008 to 2009. A member of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), he also served as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance from 2012 to 2021. He was the longest-serving Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance in Japanese history, having previously served as Minister for Foreign Affairs from 2005 to 2007 and as Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications from 2003 to 2005. He leads the Shikōkai faction within the LDP. Asō was first elected to the House of Representatives in 1979. He served in numerous ministerial roles before becoming Secretary-General of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) in 2008, having also held that role temporarily in 2007. He was later elected LDP President in September 2008, becoming prime minister the same month. He led the LDP to the worst election result in its history a year later, marking only the second time in post-war Japan that a governing party had lost re-election, and resigned as the President of the party immediately afterwards. After the LDP returned to government following the 2012 election under Shinzo Abe, Asō was appointed to the Cabinet as Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister, retaining those roles when Yoshihide Suga replaced Abe in 2020. After leaving cabinet, he's served as vice president of the LDP under Fumio Kishida and as senior advisor to the LDP under Shigeru Ishiba. He is a noted power broker inside the party, leading the Shikōkai. Asō has been attached to a number of controversies in his career. He conceded in 2008 that his family had benefitted from forced labor during World War II, although he has refused to apologize for it. Asō also had a reputation for political gaffes and controversial remarks.
Genshiro Kawamoto (川本 源司郎, Kawamoto Genshiro; 1 March 1932 – 12 February 2024) was a Japanese businessman known for his…
Genshiro Kawamoto (川本 源司郎, Kawamoto Genshiro; 1 March 1932 – 12 February 2024) was a Japanese businessman known for his real estate investments in Japan, California and Hawaii. He is also notable for controversial real estate investments in the late 1980s, when he bought more than 170 properties, including many Oʻahu homes. More recently, Kawamoto is known for owning 30 properties in the Kāhala area of Honolulu where he has allowed them to be run down, attracting many complaints and media attention. Although these homes are vacant, boarded up and often vandalized, their estimated total value is $200 million. In September 2013, Kawamoto sold all of his Hawaii assets to Alexander and Baldwin for $128 million. The transaction was brokered by Steve Sombrero, president of NAI ChaneyBrooks. Born into a wealthy kimono shop owner's family in what is now Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture, he went to Keio University, but did not graduate. Kawamoto died on 12 February 2024, at the age of 91.
Nobuo Mii (Japanese: 三井 信雄=Mii Nobuo; July 4, 1931 – July 14, 2015), often called Nobi by English speakers, was a…
Nobuo Mii (Japanese: 三井 信雄=Mii Nobuo; July 4, 1931 – July 14, 2015), often called Nobi by English speakers, was a Japanese computer pioneer who made various contributions, working for NHK and IBM, and also is an investment fund executive.
Shōjirō Ishibashi (石橋 正二郎, Ishibashi Shōjirō; February 1, 1889 – September 11, 1976) was a Japanese businessman who…
Shōjirō Ishibashi (石橋 正二郎, Ishibashi Shōjirō; February 1, 1889 – September 11, 1976) was a Japanese businessman who founded the Bridgestone Corporation, the world's largest maker of tires, in 1931 in the city of Kurume, Fukuoka, Japan. The company was named after its founder: in the Japanese language, ishi means "stone" and hashi (here voiced to bashi) means "bridge", whence the origin of the company's name in English. After the end of the Second World War and the subsequent occupation of Japan, Ishibashi became extensively embroiled in Japanese politics. Ishibashi was close to Ichiro Hatoyama, who was a rival to prime minister Shigeru Yoshida. Ishibashi became an advisor to Hatoyama on Japan's post-war economic development, expressing his views on the economic policy of the parties of Hatoyama's political affiliation. Ishibashi's daughter, Yasuko Hatoyama, became heir to Ishibashi's considerable fortune and has used the inheritance to fund her family's political causes. She married former Japanese Foreign Minister Iichirō Hatoyama. The couple had two sons, who are Ishibashi's grandchildren – politicians Kunio Hatoyama, who served as Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications, and Yukio Hatoyama, who was Prime Minister from 2009 to 2010. Ishibashi's motto for Bridgestone was to "serve society with products of superior quality". He founded Ishibashi Cultural Center and the Bridgestone Museum of Art (also located at 10 Kyobashi 1-chome, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104) and was a major benefactor of the Tokyo National Museum of Modern Art, having also constructed the building in which it is housed.
Sazō Idemitsu (出光 佐三, Idemitsu Sazō; August 22, 1885 – March 7, 1981) was a Japanese businessman and founder of the…
Sazō Idemitsu (出光 佐三, Idemitsu Sazō; August 22, 1885 – March 7, 1981) was a Japanese businessman and founder of the petroleum company Idemitsu Kosan. He graduated from Kobe University (then Kobe Koto Shogyo Gakko). He was also an art collector, especially fond of Sengai Gibon and of Georges Rouault. He is the father of the Japanese experimental video artist, Mako Idemitsu.
George Shima (1864 – March 27, 1926) was a Japanese American businessman in California who became the first Japanese…
George Shima (1864 – March 27, 1926) was a Japanese American businessman in California who became the first Japanese American millionaire. At one point, he produced about 85% of the state's potato crop, which earned him the nickname "The Potato King".
Baron Dan Takuma (團 琢磨; September 7, 1858 – March 5, 1932) was a Japanese businessman who was Director-General of…
Baron Dan Takuma (團 琢磨; September 7, 1858 – March 5, 1932) was a Japanese businessman who was Director-General of Mitsui, one of the leading Japanese zaibatsu (family conglomerates). He was a graduate of Massachusetts Institute of Technology and was married to the younger sister of statesman Kaneko Kentarō. During the 1904-1905 Russo-Japanese War, there were some U.S. financiers who wished to profit by lending money to Russia so she could continue her war efforts against Japan. In contrast and in support of ending this war, Frank A. Vanderlip, Jacob Schiff and other U.S. financiers supported President Theodore Roosevelt's successful role as peacemaker between Russia and Japan. Their action was greatly appreciated by many of the leaders of Japan. The early decades of the 1900s were often challenging in terms of U.S. Japan relations. Frank A. Vanderlip and his American and Japanese allies strove to encourage increased business and trade between their nations, which could also enhance the mutual respect and understanding between the U.S. and Japan. The 1908 photo illustration to the right is linked to Frank A. Vanderlip during his U.S. business delegation’s visit to Japan, where they were greeted by Baron Shibusawa Eiichi, Prince Tokugawa Iesato (a.k.a. Prince Iyesato Tokugawa), and Baron Dan Takuma and other Japanese representatives. These statesmen often allied together to promote peace and international commerce. During following year in 1909, in reciprocation for Frank A. Vanderlip’s 1908 business delegation’s visit to Japan, Baron Shibusawa accompanied by his approximately sixty member Japanese business/goodwill delegation toured the United States. During their U.S. visit, the Japanese were greeted by the Vanderlip family and top representatives of American Industry, such as General Electric and Westinghouse. As president of the Japan Society of Manhattan, Frank A. Vanderlip strove to maintain political goodwill and better understanding between the U.S. and Japan. Takuma Dan continued the cultivation of closer relations between Japan and the Western powers. In 1921, he also led a Japanese Businessmen's Mission, in which a group of Japanese business leaders visited the United States, Great Britain, and France to discuss bilateral economic issues and to promote personal ties with businesspeople of those countries. In 1927, Dan bought out Takasago Life Insurance and established Mitsui Life, as a subsidiary of Mitsui Group. On March 5, 1932, Dan was assassinated by right-wing nationalist Gorō Hishinuma for his role in Mitsui's betting against the Japanese economy in favor of Britain, as part of the League of Blood Incident. Hishinuma was sentenced to life in prison for Dan's murder. He was released under an amnesty in 1940, and died in 1990. Dan's son was embryologist Dan Katsuma, and his grandson was composer Dan Ikuma.
Kunihiko Iwadare (岩垂 邦彦, Iwadare Kunihiko; August 15, 1857 – December 20, 1941) was a Japanese businessman. A graduate…
Kunihiko Iwadare (岩垂 邦彦, Iwadare Kunihiko; August 15, 1857 – December 20, 1941) was a Japanese businessman. A graduate of the Imperial College of Engineering (Kobu Daigaku) in Tokyo, he worked as a telegraph engineer for the Japanese government.