Yukishige Okubo (大久保 潔重, Ōkubo Yukishige; born March 12, 1966) is a Japanese politician of the Democratic Party of…Yukishige Okubo (大久保 潔重, Ōkubo Yukishige; born March 12, 1966) 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 Isahaya, Nagasaki and graduate of Nagasaki University, he had served in the assembly of Nagasaki Prefecture since 2003. After running unsuccessfully for the House of Representatives in 2005, he was elected to the House of Councillors for the first time in 2007.
Isao Koda (香田 勲男, Kōda Isao; born May 29, 1965) is a former Japanese Nippon Professional Baseball pitcher. He played…Isao Koda (香田 勲男, Kōda Isao; born May 29, 1965) is a former Japanese Nippon Professional Baseball pitcher. He played for the Yomiuri Giants from 1985 to 1994 and the Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes from 1995 to 2001. He won a career high 11 games in 1990.
Chigusa Nagayo (長与千種, Nagayo Chigusa; born December 8, 1964) is a Japanese professional wrestler best known for her…Chigusa Nagayo (長与千種, Nagayo Chigusa; born December 8, 1964) is a Japanese professional wrestler best known for her mainstream popularity in the 1980s as a member of the Crush Gals with long-time tag team partner Lioness Asuka. In 1995 she founded GAEA Japan and in 2014 created its successor Marvelous That's Women Pro Wrestling. Nagayo is often regarded as the most popular and one of the greatest and most influential female wrestlers of all time. Wrestling Journalist and historian Dave Meltzer has stated that in the 1980s, the Crush Gals reached a level of popularity in Japan equatable to Hulk Hogan in the United States in the same period, and thereafter Chigusa Nagayo was the most popular woman in wrestling for an extended period until her first retirement in 1989.
Hideko Nishioka (西岡秀子, Nishioka Hideko; born 15 March 1964) is a Japanese politician serving as a member of the House…Hideko Nishioka (西岡秀子, Nishioka Hideko; born 15 March 1964) is a Japanese politician serving as a member of the House of Representatives since 2017. She is the daughter of Takeo Nishioka and the granddaughter of Takejiro Nishioka.
Hirotami Kojima (小島 啓民, Kojima Hirotami; born March 3, 1964 in Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan) is a Japanese baseball player. He…Hirotami Kojima (小島 啓民, Kojima Hirotami; born March 3, 1964 in Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan) is a Japanese baseball player. He won a bronze medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics, and has been a coach for Japan at international level.
Shozo Majima (真島 省三) is a member of the Japanese Communist Party serving in the House of Representatives. He was…Shozo Majima (真島 省三) is a member of the Japanese Communist Party serving in the House of Representatives. He was elected to this position in 2014.
Ryōgoku Kajinosuke IV (born 30 July 1962 as Hideaki Kobayashi) is a former sumo wrestler from Nagasaki, Japan. His…Ryōgoku Kajinosuke IV (born 30 July 1962 as Hideaki Kobayashi) is a former sumo wrestler from Nagasaki, Japan. His highest rank was komusubi. He is now a sumo coach under the name of Sakaigawa.
Toshinobu Katsuya (勝矢 寿延, Katsuya Toshinobu; born September 2, 1961) is a former Japanese football player. He played…Toshinobu Katsuya (勝矢 寿延, Katsuya Toshinobu; born September 2, 1961) is a former Japanese football player. He played for Japan national team.
Masaaki Mori (森 正明, Mori Masaaki; born July 12, 1961) is a former Japanese football player. He played for Japan…Masaaki Mori (森 正明, Mori Masaaki; born July 12, 1961) is a former Japanese football player. He played for Japan national team.
Jun Seki (born May 9, 1961) is a Japanese businessman. After serving as president of Dongfeng Nissan, deputy COO of…Jun Seki (born May 9, 1961) is a Japanese businessman. After serving as president of Dongfeng Nissan, deputy COO of Nissan, and CEO of Nidec, he joined Hon Hai Technology Group in February 2023 as chief strategy officer (CSO) of the electric vehicle (EV) business.
Kazuhito Yamashita (山下 和仁, Yamashita Kazuhito) (25 March 1961 – 24 January 2026) was a Japanese classical guitarist and…Kazuhito Yamashita (山下 和仁, Yamashita Kazuhito) (25 March 1961 – 24 January 2026) was a Japanese classical guitarist and husband of the composer Keiko Fujiie. His technique and expression are highly acclaimed. By the age of 32, Yamashita had already released 52 albums, including repertoires for solo guitar, guitar concertos, chamber music and collaborations with other renowned musicians such as James Galway and Larry Coryell. He released a total of 83 albums.
Michiru Ōshima (大島 ミチル, Oshima Michiru; born March 16, 1961) is a Japanese composer and arranger. She works on music in…Michiru Ōshima (大島 ミチル, Oshima Michiru; born March 16, 1961) is a Japanese composer and arranger. She works on music in wide range of areas, such as anime, films, television series, video games, and concerts. She has written scores for over 100 films, over 200 television titles, video games, various types of events, concerts, theaters, among others. Ōshima is one of the most prolific living composers for film, anime, and video games. She has released over 300 CDs including film soundtracks and artist CDs. Her works include composition for Godzilla vs. Megaguirus, Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla, and Godzilla: Tokyo S.O.S. films and scores for numerous anime television series, including Fullmetal Alchemist, Fullmetal Alchemist the Movie: Conqueror of Shamballa, Nabari no Ou, Queen Emeraldas, Xam'd: Lost Memories, Arc the Lad, and Weathering Continent. In addition to the soundtracks on Kaiju films and anime music, she has composed music for several video games such as Genghis Khan II: Clan of the Gray Wolf for Super NES, Ico for PlayStation 2, Legend of Legaia for PlayStation and its PlayStation 2 sequel Legaia 2: Duel Saga, Arc the Lad III, Deemo, Midnight Play by the company Tivola based on the art illustrations of Květa Pacovská, and an orchestral arrangement of a Zelda medley for the Wii and GameCube game The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess. She was also the composer for a Japanese stage musical adaptation of the classic Hollywood film Roman Holiday. Her latest work includes the composition of several music tracks for the highly acclaimed Chinese espionage thriller film The Message and a 2017 Chinese mystery thriller film The Devotion of Suspect X. She is a member of both the Japan Academy Film Prize Association and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Shinji Kobayashi (小林 伸二, Kobayashi Shinji; born August 24, 1960) is a Japanese football manager and a former player…Shinji Kobayashi (小林 伸二, Kobayashi Shinji; born August 24, 1960) is a Japanese football manager and a former player, who is the manager of J3 League club Tochigi SC.
Shigeko Uchida (内田 滋子, Uchida Shigeko), known by the pen name Shungicu Uchida (内田春菊, Uchida Shungiku), is a Japanese…Shigeko Uchida (内田 滋子, Uchida Shigeko), known by the pen name Shungicu Uchida (内田春菊, Uchida Shungiku), is a Japanese manga artist, novelist, essayist, actress, and singer.
Katsuo Hirata (平田 勝男, Hirata Katsuo; born July 31, 1959) is a former professional baseball player from Matsuura…Katsuo Hirata (平田 勝男, Hirata Katsuo; born July 31, 1959) is a former professional baseball player from Matsuura, Nagasaki, Japan.
Kazuyuki Ishihara (石原和幸 Ishihara Kazuyuki) is a Japanese garden designer who has won many gold medals at the Chelsea…Kazuyuki Ishihara (石原和幸 Ishihara Kazuyuki) is a Japanese garden designer who has won many gold medals at the Chelsea Flower Show. His design for 2019 is an artisan garden, "Green Switch", whose theme is switching from the urban environment to a natural one. It is planted with horsetail, iris, maple, moss, pine, watercress and features two waterfalls and a Japanese tea room.
Atsushi Onita (大仁田 厚, Ōnita Atsushi; born October 25, 1957) is a Japanese actor, politician, and semi-retired…Atsushi Onita (大仁田 厚, Ōnita Atsushi; born October 25, 1957) is a Japanese actor, politician, and semi-retired professional wrestler. He is best known for his work in Frontier Martial-Arts Wrestling (FMW) and is credited with introducing the deathmatch style of professional wrestling to Japan. He is a former 7-time FMW Brass Knuckles Heavyweight Champion and 3-time All Asia Tag Team Champion alongside partners Masanobu Fuchi, Yoshitatsu, and Toy Kojima. Onita founded FMW in 1989, defeating martial artist Masashi Aoyagi under his own martial arts rules in the main event of the second night of the promotion's inaugural event. FMW later emerged as a full-fledged touring organization, moving away from martial arts-inspired shoot style matches and moving toward the rasslin'-inspired deathmatch style – which became popular with Japanese fans. He was the promotion's top star, wrestling in main event matches at sold-out events, making FMW a financially successful company, particularly for a Japanese independent promotion. Onita sold FMW to Shoichi Arai and retired from wrestling in 1995 to pursue an acting career, which was unsuccessful, forcing him to return as a wrestler in 1996. After returning to FMW, he led stables ZEN and Team Zero but departed the company in 1998 after disagreements over his position in the company. He held the FMW Brass Knuckles Heavyweight Championship a record seven times and headlined the first six editions of FMW's premier Anniversary Show event from 1989 to 1995.
Tomihisa Taue (田上 富久, Taue Tomihisa; born December 10, 1956) is a Japanese politician and who served as the mayor of…Tomihisa Taue (田上 富久, Taue Tomihisa; born December 10, 1956) is a Japanese politician and who served as the mayor of Nagasaki, the capital city of Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan from 2007 to 2023.
Masafumi Yokoyama (横山 正文, Yokoyama Masafumi; born April 10, 1956) is a former Japanese football player. He played for…Masafumi Yokoyama (横山 正文, Yokoyama Masafumi; born April 10, 1956) is a former Japanese football player. He played for Japan national team.
Kazumi Tsubota (坪田 和美, Tsubota Kazumi; born January 23, 1956) is a former Japanese football player. He played for Japan…Kazumi Tsubota (坪田 和美, Tsubota Kazumi; born January 23, 1956) is a former Japanese football player. He played for Japan national team.
Hideki Hamaguchi (浜口 秀樹, Hamaguchi Hideki; born 4 January 1956) is a Japanese basketball player. He competed in the…Hideki Hamaguchi (浜口 秀樹, Hamaguchi Hideki; born 4 January 1956) is a Japanese basketball player. He competed in the men's tournament at the 1976 Summer Olympics.
Kōji Hashimoto (橋本 広司, Hashimoto Kōji; born 1 January 1956), known professionally as Kōji Yakusho (役所 広司, Yakusho…Kōji Hashimoto (橋本 広司, Hashimoto Kōji; born 1 January 1956), known professionally as Kōji Yakusho (役所 広司, Yakusho Kōji), is a Japanese actor. He is known internationally for his starring roles in Shall We Dance? (1996), Cure (1997), 13 Assassins (2010), The Third Murder (2017), The Blood of Wolves (2018), Under the Open Sky (2020) and The Days (2023). For his performance in Perfect Days (2023), he was awarded the Best Actor award at the 76th Cannes Film Festival.
Hideki Noda (野田 秀樹, Noda Hideki; born 20 December 1955) is a Japanese actor, playwright and theatre director who has…Hideki Noda (野田 秀樹, Noda Hideki; born 20 December 1955) is a Japanese actor, playwright and theatre director who has written and directed more than 40 plays in Japan.
Kazuo Azuma (東 和男, Azuma Kazuo; August 17, 1955) is a Japanese retired professional shogi player who achieved the rank…Kazuo Azuma (東 和男, Azuma Kazuo; August 17, 1955) is a Japanese retired professional shogi player who achieved the rank of 8-dan. He is a former senior managing director of the Japan Shogi Association.
Shishihō Yoshimasa (born Osamu Tanaka; August 14, 1955 – October 7, 2006) was a sumo wrestler from Moriyama, Nagasaki…Shishihō Yoshimasa (born Osamu Tanaka; August 14, 1955 – October 7, 2006) was a sumo wrestler from Moriyama, Nagasaki, Japan. He made his professional debut in January 1971, and became the first sekitori from Taiho stable when he reached the juryo division in July 1977. He reached the top division in September 1979. His highest rank was maegashira 2. His favourite techniques were migi-yotsu and uwatenage. Upon retirement in May 1987 he was hired by the Sumo Association as a wakaimonogashira. He left the sumo world in July 1991. He died of cancer in 2006.
Mari Matsunaga (born 13 November 1954) is a Japanese editor, author, and businesswoman. She is also the representative…Mari Matsunaga (born 13 November 1954) is a Japanese editor, author, and businesswoman. She is also the representative of the Matsunaga Mari Office. After working at Japan Recruit Center Co., Ltd. and Recruit Co., Ltd., she served as head of the planning office in the Gateway Business Division at NTT Mobile Communications Network Corporation.
Sir Kazuo Ishiguro (Japanese: 石黒 一雄, Hepburn: Ishiguro Kazuo; ; born 8 November 1954) is a Japanese-British novelist…Sir Kazuo Ishiguro (Japanese: 石黒 一雄, Hepburn: Ishiguro Kazuo; ; born 8 November 1954) is a Japanese-British novelist, screenwriter, musician, and short-story writer. He is one of the most critically acclaimed contemporary fiction authors writing in English, having been awarded several major literary prizes, including the 2017 Nobel Prize in Literature. In its citation, the Swedish Academy described Ishiguro as a writer "who, in novels of great emotional force, has uncovered the abyss beneath our illusory sense of connection with the world". Ishiguro was born in Nagasaki, Japan, and moved to Britain in 1960 with his parents when he was five. His first two novels, A Pale View of Hills and An Artist of the Floating World, were noted for their explorations of Japanese identity and their mournful tone. He has since explored themes more typically associated with science fiction and historical fiction, while continuing a focus on the outsider's perspective, the search for an unattainable truth, and the sense of recent history as a spider's web in which humans vainly struggle. He has been nominated for the Booker Prize four times, winning in 1989 for The Remains of the Day, which was adapted into a film of the same name in 1993. Salman Rushdie praised the novel as Ishiguro's masterpiece, in which he "turned away from the Japanese settings of his first two novels and revealed that his sensibility was not rooted in any one place, but capable of travel and metamorphosis". Time named Ishiguro's Never Let Me Go as the best novel of 2005 and one of the 100 best English-language novels published between 1923 and 2005. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Adapted Screenplay for the 2022 film Living.
Tamaryū Daizō (born 22 July 1954 as Daizō Nagata) is a former sumo wrestler from Nagasaki, Japan. He made his debut in…Tamaryū Daizō (born 22 July 1954 as Daizō Nagata) is a former sumo wrestler from Nagasaki, Japan. He made his debut in 1970, retiring in 1992. He was one of the lighter sekitori wrestlers. His highest rank was komusubi. He was a member of Kataonami stable.
Tetsuro Aikawa (born 17 April 1954) is a Japanese businessman, the president, chief operating officer (COO) and a…Tetsuro Aikawa (born 17 April 1954) is a Japanese businessman, the president, chief operating officer (COO) and a representative director of Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) since 25 June 2014. In April 2016, Aikawa led the announcement that Mitsubishi Motors had falsified fuel economy data for more than 600,000 vehicles made for Nissan and sold in Japan. Aikawa said that he was personally unaware, yet felt responsible. Bloomberg reported that Aikawa and other MMC executives attended meetings where fuel economy targets for the affected minicars were raised. During development of those minicars, the fuel economy targets were raised five times in two years, from an initial target of 26.4 km per liter to 29.2 km (18.14 miles) per liter. In May 2016, Mitsubishi Motors announced Aikawa to resign as the president of the company with effect from June. Both Mitsubishi Motors and Aikawa denied any top management involvement in the mileage scandal.
Nizo Yamamoto (山本 二三, Yamamoto Nizō), 27 June 1953 – 19 August 2023) was a Japanese art director. He began his career…Nizo Yamamoto (山本 二三, Yamamoto Nizō), 27 June 1953 – 19 August 2023) was a Japanese art director. He began his career working on Future Boy Conan, but also worked on numerous films, most notably Studio Ghibli films such as Castle in the Sky, Grave of the Fireflies, Princess Mononoke, and Spirited Away. Additionally, he worked on Mamoru Hosoda's film The Girl Who Leapt Through Time and Makoto Shinkai's film Weathering with You. He died of stomach cancer on 19 August 2023, at the age of 70.
Masashi Sada (さだ まさし, Sada Masashi; born 10 April 1952) is a Japanese singer, lyricist, and composer. Sada formed the…Masashi Sada (さだ まさし, Sada Masashi; born 10 April 1952) is a Japanese singer, lyricist, and composer. Sada formed the folk duo Grape with Masami Yoshida in 1972, and they made their debut as recording artists a year afterward. The pair rose to fame owing to the hit song "Shourou Nagashi" (精霊流し) composed by Sada, which peaked at the number-two position on the Japanese Oricon chart in 1974. They broke up in 1976, after producing some hit singles including "En-kiri Dera" (縁切寺) and "Muen Zaka" (無縁坂). Sada released his first solo album entitled Kikyorai shortly after Grape's dissolution. Following the commercial success of the number-one hit single "Amayadori" (雨やどり, Shelter from the rain) in 1977, he enjoyed a recording career as one of the most popular Japanese male artists during the late 1970s and the first half of the 1980s. Throughout his career as a musician, Sada released over 35 solo albums and 70 singles, and multiple live albums or compilations. Since the release of Shourou Nagashi, published in 2001, Sada has also worked as a novelist.
Ryū Murakami (村上 龍, Murakami Ryū; born February 19, 1952) is a Japanese novelist, essayist and filmmaker. His novels…Ryū Murakami (村上 龍, Murakami Ryū; born February 19, 1952) is a Japanese novelist, essayist and filmmaker. His novels explore human nature through themes of disillusion, drug use, surrealism, murder and war, set against the dark backdrop of Japan. His best known novels are Almost Transparent Blue, Audition, Coin Locker Babies, and In the Miso Soup.
Shun'ichi Yamashita (山下 俊一, Yamashita Shun'ichi; born 1952) is a Japanese medical scientist serving as dean and…Shun'ichi Yamashita (山下 俊一, Yamashita Shun'ichi; born 1952) is a Japanese medical scientist serving as dean and professor at the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at Nagasaki University.
Ryōko Tateishi (立石 涼子, Tateishi Ryōko; 4 December 1951 – 2 August 2020), real name 立石凉子 (pronounced the same, but the…Ryōko Tateishi (立石 涼子, Tateishi Ryōko; 4 December 1951 – 2 August 2020), real name 立石凉子 (pronounced the same, but the third kanji is slightly different) was a Japanese stage, movie, television, and voice-over actress from Nagasaki, the capital city of Nagasaki Prefecture. She appeared in many theatrical works directed by Yukio Ninagawa. She appeared in the Japanese television dramas Third Year Class B Mr. Kinpachi, From the North Country, and Downtown Rocket. She joined the Engeki Shūdan En troupe in 1976, staying with them until 2015, when she moved to Sis Company. She won an individual award at the 39th Kinokuniya Awards in 2004. Her final stage appearance was in a 2019 adaptation of Crime and Punishment. After being diagnosed with lung cancer in September 2019, Tateishi's health became worse in June 2020, and she died of lung cancer on 2 August 2020 in Tokyo at age 68.
Masatoshi Ueki (植木 雅俊, Ueki Masatoshi; born 1951) is a Japanese scholar of Buddhist studies. Ueki is an expert in the…Masatoshi Ueki (植木 雅俊, Ueki Masatoshi; born 1951) is a Japanese scholar of Buddhist studies. Ueki is an expert in the original Buddhist texts, including Sanskrit and Pali texts as well as Chinese and Japanese translations of sutras.
Hōdō Nakamura (中村 法道, Nakamura Hōdō; born 29 November 1950) is a Japanese politician and a former governor of Nagasaki…Hōdō Nakamura (中村 法道, Nakamura Hōdō; born 29 November 1950) is a Japanese politician and a former governor of Nagasaki Prefecture located in the Kyushu region of Japan. He was re-elected for another four-year term as governor in both 2014 and 2018. Nakamura ran for a fourth term in 2022, but lost the elections.
Hiroaki Mitsuya (満屋 裕明, Mitsuya Hiroaki; born 1950) is a Japanese virologist famous for his role in discovery of the…Hiroaki Mitsuya (満屋 裕明, Mitsuya Hiroaki; born 1950) is a Japanese virologist famous for his role in discovery of the anti-HIV drug zidovudine (AZT) as well as other anti-AIDS drugs including didanosine (ddI) and zalcitabine (ddC). Mitsuya was born in Sasebo, Nagasaki and received his M.D. and Ph.D. from Kumamoto University. He joined the American National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Maryland, in 1982, working initially on Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 before switching his attention to HIV. His identification of AZT as an anti-HIV drug, as well as the anti-HIV properties of didanosine and zalcitabine, was made in 1985. He was appointed Professor of Hematology, Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology at Kumamoto University Graduate School of Medical And Pharmaceutical Sciences. In December, 2006, he was awarded the first NIH World AIDS Day Award for his work in developing drugs for AIDS. Mitsuya has been chief of the NCI's Experimental Retrovirology Section since 1991.
Yuji Hyakutake (百武 裕司, Hyakutake Yūji; July 7, 1950 – April 10, 2002) was a Japanese amateur astronomer who discovered…Yuji Hyakutake (百武 裕司, Hyakutake Yūji; July 7, 1950 – April 10, 2002) was a Japanese amateur astronomer who discovered Comet C/1996 B2, also known as Comet Hyakutake on January 31, 1996, while using 25×150 binoculars. Hyakutake graduated from the Kyushu Sangyo University as a photography major and started working at a newspaper in Fukuoka. He first became interested in astronomy after seeing Comet Ikeya–Seki in 1965. He began searching for comets in 1989. In 1993, he moved to Hayato because “the skies were much clearer there” and so he could better continue his search for comets. His first discovery was Comet C/1995 Y1, on December 26, 1995. Hyakutake discovered C/1996 B2 while looking for C/1995 Y1, a comet he had discovered a few weeks before. He died in Kokubu, Kagoshima, in 2002 at age 51 of an aneurysm which had led to internal bleeding. Asteroid 7291 Hyakutake is named after him.
Hideto Horiike (堀池 秀人; 1949 in Nagasaki, Nagasaki – June 2015) was a Japanese architect. He has a Ph.D. from the…Hideto Horiike (堀池 秀人; 1949 in Nagasaki, Nagasaki – June 2015) was a Japanese architect. He has a Ph.D. from the University of Tokyo. In 1996, he married the announcer Mikiko Minami, and the couple had a child in the following year.
Yoshinotani Akitoshi (born Sakuri Yoshitani; April 23, 1949 – January 14, 2000) was a sumo wrestler from Miiraku…Yoshinotani Akitoshi (born Sakuri Yoshitani; April 23, 1949 – January 14, 2000) was a sumo wrestler from Miiraku, Nagasaki, Japan. He made his professional debut in May 1965 and reached the top division in January 1974. His shikona was adapted from own surname of Yoshitani after he had previously used Utonoyama. His highest rank was maegashira 4 and he fought in seven top division tournaments, although he struggled with a persistent elbow injury. He was one of the smallest sekitori, weighing less than 100kg for much of his career. He was a contemporary of Washuyama, another small wrestler from Dewanoumi stable. He won the jūryō division championship in September 1973 with an 11–4 record, despite losing his last three matches. In May 1978 he inflicted the first defeat of future ōzeki Asashio's career to secure his majority of wins on the final day of the tournament. His final tournament as a sekitori was in November 1978. He fought in 102 tournaments in total, 27 as a sekitori, with no bouts missed and 930 career matches. Upon retirement from active competition in May 1982 he became an elder in the Japan Sumo Association under a series of different names, since he didn't own a toshiyori-kabu of his own. He died while active as Onaruto-oyakata of multiple organ failure in January 2000, having been ill for several months.
Thomas Aquino Manyo Maeda (Japanese: 前田万葉, Hepburn: Maeda Manyō) (born 3 March 1949) is a Japanese Catholic prelate who…Thomas Aquino Manyo Maeda (Japanese: 前田万葉, Hepburn: Maeda Manyō) (born 3 March 1949) is a Japanese Catholic prelate who has served as Archbishop of Osaka-Takamatsu since 2023. He was previously Archbishop of Osaka from 2014 to 2023 and Bishop of Hiroshima from 2011 to 2014. Pope Francis elevated him to the cardinalate on 28 June 2018.
Kiyoshi Maekawa (前川 清, Maekawa Kiyoshi; born August 19, 1948) is a Japanese singer and tarento. He is best known as the…Kiyoshi Maekawa (前川 清, Maekawa Kiyoshi; born August 19, 1948) is a Japanese singer and tarento. He is best known as the first lead vocalist of Hiroshi Uchiyamada and Cool Five, which was formed in 1967 and debuted in 1969 with the Japan Record Award-winning song "Nagasaki wa Kyō mo Ame Datta". As a frontman of the band, he spawned multiple hit singles such as "Awazu ni Aishite", "Uwasa no Onna","Soshite, Kōbe", "Nakanoshima Blues" and "Tokyo Sabaku" during the 1970s. In 1982, he released his first solo single "Yuki Ressha" composed and produced by Grammy-winning musician Ryuichi Sakamoto, and left the group five years later. During his solo career, he released only one top-20 hit "Himawari" in 2002, a ballad contributed by Masaharu Fukuyama. Aside from the recording career, Maekawa has also built up popularity as a TV star, appearing on some television shows hosted by comedians such as Kinichi Hagimoto and The Drifters, airing around the latter half of 1970s and the 1980s.
Paul Sueo Hamaguchi (1 August 1948 – 28 December 2020) was a Japanese Roman Catholic bishop. Hamaguchi was born in…Paul Sueo Hamaguchi (1 August 1948 – 28 December 2020) was a Japanese Roman Catholic bishop. Hamaguchi was born in Japan and was ordained to the priesthood in 1975. He served as bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Oita, Japan, from 2011 until his death in 2020.
Kazuko Shirakawa (白川 和子, Shirakawa Kazuko) (born September 30, 1947) is a Japanese actress who is best known for her…Kazuko Shirakawa (白川 和子, Shirakawa Kazuko) (born September 30, 1947) is a Japanese actress who is best known for her appearances in Nikkatsu's Roman Porno films during the 1970s. She appeared in Nikkatsu's first film in the Roman Porno series, Apartment Wife (1971), and is considered the first of the three "Nikkatsu Queens" of the 1970s. After 1976 she embarked on a successful career in mainstream film.
