69 Notable alumni of
Doshisha University
Updated:
Doshisha University is 168th in the world, 30th in Asia, and 15th in Japan by aggregated alumni prominence. Below is the list of 69 notable alumni from Doshisha University sorted by their wiki pages popularity. The directory includes famous graduates and former students along with research and academic staff.
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Kazlaser
- Occupations
- television presenterowarai tarento
- Biography
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Kazlaser is a Japanese comedian. He performs boke in the comedy duo Maple Chogoukin. His real name is Kazunori Kaneko (金子 和令, Kaneko Kazunori). He is represented by Sun Music Production.
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Misato Ugaki
- Occupations
- announcer
- Biography
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Misato Ugaki is a Japanese freelance announcer, model, actress, and television personality. Previously she was a Tokyo Broadcasting System Television announcer.
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Naoki Hyakuta
- Occupations
- novelistpoliticianYouTuberbroadcast writertelevision producer
- Biography
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Naoki Hyakuta is a Japanese novelist, television producer, and politician. He is the co-founder and leader of the Conservative Party of Japan. He has been a member of the House of Councillors since 2025, after being elected in that year's election.
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Shinji Mikami
- Occupations
- video game producer
- Biography
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Shinji Mikami is a Japanese video game designer, director, and producer. Starting his career at Capcom in 1990, he has worked on many of the company's most successful games. He directed the first installment of the Resident Evil series in 1996 and the first installment of the Dino Crisis series in 1999, both survival horror games. He returned to Resident Evil to direct the remake of the first game in 2002 and the survival horror third-person shooter Resident Evil 4 in 2005. In 2006, he directed his final Capcom game God Hand, a beat 'em up action game. Mikami founded PlatinumGames in 2006 and directed the third-person shooter Vanquish in 2010. That same year, he left the studio and founded a new studio Tango Gameworks and directed the survival horror game The Evil Within in 2014. He has also served the roles of producer and executive producer for many games. In 2023, he left the studio and founded a new studio KAMUY in 2024.
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Yasutaka Tsutsui
- Occupations
- science fiction writerplaywrightscreenwriterwriternovelist
- Biography
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Yasutaka Tsutsui is a Japanese novelist, science fiction author, and actor. His Yumenokizaka bunkiten won the Tanizaki Prize in 1987. He has also won the 1981 Izumi Kyoka award, the 1989 Kawabata Yasunari award, and the 1992 Nihon SF Taisho Award.
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Seiji Kobayashi
- Occupations
- baseball player
- Biography
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Seiji Kobayashi is a Japanese professional baseball catcher for the Yomiuri Giants of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB).
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Seiji Hirao
- Occupations
- rugby union coachrugby union player
- Biography
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Seiji Hirao was a Japanese rugby union footballer and coach. He played as a fly-half, and was one of the most popular Japanese players of his time, earning the name of "Mr. Rugby".
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Masaki Sumitani
- Occupations
- tarentoowarai tarentoprofessional wrestlercomedian
- Biography
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Masaki Sumitani a Japanese comedian, television personality, and retired professional wrestler. He is best known for creating and portraying Razor Ramon HG (レイザーラモンHG, Reizā Ramon Eichi Jī; also known as Hard Gay), a satirical fictional character who became known through appearances on the Japanese variety show Bakusho Mondai no Bakuten!
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Atsushi Kataoka
- Occupations
- baseball playertarento
- Biography
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Atsushi Kataoka is a former Nippon Professional Baseball infielder. He is the current farm manager for the Chunichi Dragons.
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Takahiro Tamura
- Occupations
- film actoractornarrator
- Biography
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Takahiro Tamura was a Japanese film actor. He appeared in 100 films between 1954 and 2005. He and his younger brothers Masakazu and Ryō were known as the three Tamura brothers. They were sons of actor Tsumasaburo Bando.
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Shinya Miyamoto
- Occupations
- baseball coachbaseball playerbaseball commentator
- Biography
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Shinya Miyamoto is a former professional baseball player from Suita, Osaka, Japan. He played shortstop.
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Tetsuro Fukuyama
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Tetsuro Fukuyama is a politician of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, a member of the House of Councillors in the Diet (national legislature).
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Yōsuke Hiraishi
- Occupations
- baseball managerbaseball coachbaseball player
- Biography
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Yōsuke Hiraishi is a former Japanese Nippon Professional Baseball player.
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Takako Doi
- Occupations
- politicianlegal counselor
- Biography
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Takako Doi was a Japanese politician. She was leader of the Japan Socialist Party from 1986 to 1991 and its successor party the Social Democratic Party from 1996 to 2003. In the former role, she became the first female leader of a major Japanese political party, and the country's first female opposition leader. Doi's leadership and the result of the 1989 Upper House elections are considered watershed moments for female political participation in Japan.
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Tsuneyasu Miyamoto
- Occupations
- association football playerassociation football coach
- Biography
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Tsuneyasu Miyamoto is a former Japanese football coach and former player who last coached Gamba Osaka. He played for Japan national team and is the current president of the Japan Football Association.
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Yun Dong-ju
- Occupations
- poetindependence activist
- Biography
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Yun Dong-ju or Yoon Dong-ju was a Korean poet. He is known for his lyric poetries and for his poems dedicated to the Korean independence movement against the Empire of Japan.
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Nozomi Tanaka
- Occupations
- long-distance runnerathletics competitormiddle-distance runner
- Biography
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Nozomi Tanaka is a Japanese track and field athlete who specializes in middle and long-distance running. She is the current Japanese record holder in the women's 1000 metres, 1500 metres, 3000 metres, and 5000 metres. She also holds the Asian Area records in many indoor events, such as the 1000 metres, 3000 metres, and 5000 metres.
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Yūki Ōta
- Occupations
- fencer
- Biography
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Yuki Ota is a Japanese foil fencer, gold medallist at the 2006 Asian Games, silver medallist at the 2008 Summer Olympics, team silver medallist at the 2012 Summer Olympics, and individual gold medallist at the 2015 World Fencing Championships. He is a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
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Tetsuo Nakanishi
- Occupations
- association football player
- Biography
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Tetsuo Nakanishi is a former Japanese football player. He currently works on television as a football commentator.
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Mie Hamada
- Occupations
- figure skaterfigure skating coach
- Biography
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Mie Hamada is a Japanese figure skating coach and former competitor.
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Hideaki Nitani
- Occupations
- actorannouncer
- Biography
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Hideaki Nitani was a Japanese actor.
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Nobuharu Asahara
- Occupations
- sprintertrack and field coachathletics competitorlong jumper
- Biography
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Nobuharu Asahara is a former Japanese athlete who specialized in the 100 meters and long jump. He won the 100 m at the Japanese national championship on five occasions in 1996, 1997, 2000, 2001 and 2002, and he took part in the Olympics four times in 1996, 2000, 2004 and 2008. He represented Japan six times at the World Championships in Athletics.
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Kazuki Tomono
- Occupations
- figure skater
- Biography
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Kazuki Tomono is a Japanese figure skater. He is the 2022 Four Continents silver medalist and a five-time Grand Prix medalist. He has represented Japan at three World Championships, achieving his best placement, fifth, at the 2018 World Championships. He is also the 2016–17 Japan Junior national champion.
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Fumiko Okuno
- Occupations
- swimmersynchronized swimmer
- Biography
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Fumiko Okuno is a former competitor in synchronised swimming from Japan. She competed in both the women's solo and women's duet events at the 1992 Summer Olympics, and won two bronze medals.
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Yū Fujiki
- Occupations
- actortelevision actor
- Biography
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Yū Fujiki, born Yūzō Suzuki (鈴木 悠蔵, Suzuki Yūzō), was a Japanese film and television actor. He appeared in more than 100 films from 1954 to 2005.
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Tomie Ohtake
- Occupations
- sculptorpainterartist
- Biography
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Tomie Ohtake was a Japanese Brazilian visual artist. Her work includes paintings, prints and sculptures. She was one of the main representatives of informal abstractionism in Brazil.
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Masaaki Toma
- Occupations
- association football referee
- Biography
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Masaaki Toma, born Masaaki Iemoto (家本 政明, Iemoto Masaaki), is a professional Japanese football referee. He has been refereeing in the J-League since 2008 and has officiated a number of international club and country matches.
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Hansō Sōshitsu
- Occupations
- kamikazepaintertea master
- Biography
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Sen Sōshitsu XV was the 15th-generation Grand Master (iemoto) of Urasenke, which is one of the most widely known schools of Japanese tea, and served in official capacity from 1964 to 2002. In 1949, he received the Zen title Hōunsai (鵬雲斎). Following his retirement, he adopted the name Sen Genshitsu (玄室), with the honorary title Daisōshō, in order to distinguish him from his son and successor, Sen Sōshitsu XVI. For over seven decades, Sen Genshitsu traveled across the world in order to promote the ethos of "Peacefulness through a Bowl of Tea".
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Kunio Hiramatsu
- Occupations
- announcerpolitician
- Biography
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Kunio Hiramatsu was the mayor of Osaka in Japan. He was elected in 2007 with centre-left support from the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), People's New Party and the Social Democratic Party, defeating the centre-right supported incumbent Jun'ichi Seki by 50,000 votes.
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Jumpei Kusukami
- Occupations
- association football player
- Biography
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Jumpei Kusukami is a Japanese footballer currently playing for Nankatsu SC.
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Uchida Kōsai
- Occupations
- diplomatpolitician
- Biography
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Count Uchida Kōsai was a statesman, diplomat and interim prime minister, active in Meiji, Taishō and Shōwa period Japan. He was also known as Uchida Yasuya.
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Alex Saito
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Alex Saito is a Spanish-Japanese politician who has served as a member of the House of Representatives of Japan since 2021. A member of Ishin no Kai (Japan Innovation Party) since 2024, Saito represented the Kinki proportional representation block from 2021 to 2024 as member of the Democratic Party For the People (DPFP), and has represented Shiga 1st district since 2025.
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Abe Isoo
- Occupations
- university teacherpoliticiansociologist
- Biography
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Abe Isoo was a Japanese Christian socialist, parliamentarian and pacifist. He largely contributed to development of baseball in Japan, and was called "Father of Japanese baseball." He created a baseball club of Waseda University.
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Ryo Watanabe
- Occupations
- baseball player
- Biography
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Ryo Watanabe is a retired Nippon Professional Baseball pitcher who spent 10 years with the Hanshin Tigers in Japan's Central League.
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Tosanoumi Toshio
- Occupations
- rikishi
- Biography
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Tosanoumi Toshio, is a former sumo wrestler. He first reached the top division of professional sumo in 1995, winning 13 special prizes and earning 11 kinboshi or gold stars for defeating yokozuna over his long career. The highest rank he reached was sekiwake. He retired in 2010 to become a coach at his stable, Isenoumi stable under the name of Tatekawa.
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Jeong Ji-yong
- Occupations
- poet
- Biography
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Jeong Ji-yong, often romanized in literature as Cheong Chi-yong, was a Korean poet and translator of English poetry who "opened a new horizon of poetic possibilities through chiselled expression, tempered sentiments, and precise visual imagery" according to the scholar of Korean poetry, Brother Anthony.
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Ōikari Tsuyoshi
- Occupations
- rikishi
- Biography
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Ōikari Tsuyoshi is a former sumo wrestler from Nishikyō, Kyoto, Japan. He made his professional debut in March 1995, and reached the top division in November 1998. His highest rank was maegashira 11. He retired in November 2004, and as of 2016 he is an elder in the Japan Sumo Association under the name Kabutoyama.
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Saori Yoshikawa
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Saori Yoshikawa is a Japanese politician of the Constitutional Democratic Party and a member of the House of Councillors in the Diet (national legislature).
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Yukina Ōta
- Occupations
- figure skaterfigure skating choreographer
- Biography
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Yukina Ōta is a Japanese figure skater. She is the 2003 World Junior champion and the 2004 Four Continents champion. She announced her retirement from competitive skating in November 2008, due to injury.
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Mami Tamura
- Years
- 1976-.. (age 50)
- Occupations
- politicianactivist
- Biography
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Mami Tamura is a Japanese politician who is a member of the House of Councillors of Japan.
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Hayato Aoki
- Occupations
- baseball playerbaseball coach
- Biography
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Hayato Aoki is a Nippon Professional Baseball player. He is currently with the Hiroshima Toyo Carp of Japan's Central League.
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Hitoshi Yamakawa
- Occupations
- politicianeconomist
- Biography
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Hitoshi Yamakawa was a Japanese socialist intellectual, activist, and theorist. He was a central figure in the early Japanese socialist movement and a co-founder of the first Japanese Communist Party in 1922. After breaking with the party a year later, he became the leader of the Rōnō-ha (Labor-Farmer Faction), a dissident group of Marxist thinkers who challenged the Comintern's thesis that Japan required a two-stage revolution.
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Kazuo Kuroki
- Occupations
- film directorscreenwriter
- Biography
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Kazuo Kuroki was a Japanese film director who was particularly known for his films on World War II and the question of personal guilt.
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Toshiyuki Hayashi
- Occupations
- rugby union player
- Biography
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Toshiyuki Hayashi is a former Japanese rugby union player. He played as a prop and as a lock. He was educated at Tokushima Prefectural Johoku High School and was graduated in economics at Doshisha University. He was nicknamed Destroyer (壊し屋, Kowashiya) and Daimaru (ダイマル, Daimaru).
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Honoka Hayashi
- Occupations
- association football player
- Biography
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Honoka Hayashi is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Women's Super League club Everton and the Japan national team.
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Yae Ibuka
- Years
- 1897-1989 (aged 92)
- Occupations
- nurse
- Biography
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Yae Ibuka was a Japanese nurse who worked with patients who had leprosy. She was diagnosed as having leprosy, and hospitalized at Koyama Fukusei Hospital in 1919. It proved a misdiagnosis three years later, but she was deeply impressed by Drouart de Lézey, the director of the hospital, and was determined to work as a nurse with leprosy patients. In 1961, she was awarded the Florence Nightingale Medal.
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Issei Tajima
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Issei Tajima is a former Japanese politician who served in the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature) as a member of the Democratic Party of Japan. A native of Hikone, Shiga he earned his undergraduate degree in Chuo University, study-abroad credit in Carleton College in Minnesota, United States and master's degree in Doshisha University. He was elected for the first time in 2005.
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Yoshihiro Sakata
- Occupations
- university teacherrugby union player
- Biography
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Yoshihiro Sakata MNZM is a rugby union official and former player who gained sixteen full international caps with the Japan national rugby union team 1967–1973. He played as wing for Kintetsu and Canterbury RFU and was nicknamed Demi Sakata. He was the first Japanese player to be inducted into the International Rugby Board Hall of Fame.
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Hiroo Kodera
- Enrolled in Doshisha University
- Studied Faculty of Arts
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Hiroo Kotera is a Japanese politician who is a member of the House of Representatives of Japan.
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Yokoi Tokio
- Occupations
- pastorjournalistteacherpolitician
- Biography
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Tokio Yokoi was a Japanese pastor, journalist, bureaucrat, and member of the Japanese House of Representatives. He was also known as Tokio Ise(伊勢 時雄).
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Muneaki Murai
- Years
- 1973-.. (age 53)
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Muneaki Murai is a former Japanese politician of the Democratic Party of Japan, who served as a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature).
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Sumitada Moriguchi
- Occupations
- figure skater
- Biography
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Sumitada Moriguchi is a Japanese pair skater. With partner Yuna Nagaoka, he is the 2026 Four Continents bronze medalist, the 2025 Asian Winter Games bronze medalist, and a two-time Japanese national champion.
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Jiro Ishimaru
- Occupations
- journalist
- Biography
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Jiro Ishimaru is a Japanese journalist known for his work covering North Korea.
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Aki Kuroda
- Occupations
- editing staffpianistpaintersculptorvisual artist
- Biography
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Aki Kuroda, real name Akihiko Kuroda (黒田 明比古, Kuroda Akihiko), is a Japanese painter based in Paris, France.
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Tomomi Abiko
- Occupations
- athletics competitor
- Biography
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Tomomi Abiko is a Japanese track and field athlete who competes in the pole vault. She won at the 2012 Japan Championships. She is Japanese record holder in the Women's pole vault. She competed in the Women's pole vault at the 2012 Summer Olympics.
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Takeshi Hino
- Occupations
- rugby union player
- Biography
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Takeshi Hino is a Japanese international rugby union player who plays as a hooker. He currently plays for Stade Toulousain in the French Top 14. On 20 August 2019, he was officially transferred to the French professional rugby team Stade Toulousain
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Masaharu Taguchi
- Occupations
- swimmer
- Biography
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Masaharu Taguchi was a Japanese freestyle swimmer. At the 1936 Olympics, he won a gold medal in the 4 × 200 m relay, setting a new world record. In the individual 100 m race, he finished almost simultaneously with Masanori Yusa and Shigeo Arai and was placed fourth, although photographs suggest he was second.
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Masahiro Morioka
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Masahiro Morioka is a former Japanese politician who served in the House of Representatives as a member of the Liberal Democratic Party. He was the secretary for the Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare. He claimed that family is the foundation of securing the nation of Japan. He disputed the legitimacy of the International Military Tribunal for the Far East, saying that the tribunal helped place a masochistic view of history in the Japanese people's minds.
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Kaoru Ikeya
- Occupations
- film director
- Biography
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Kaoru Ikeya is a Japanese documentary film director. He directed the documentary The Ants (2006). His work addresses the topics of war and Japanese military history. His film Runta (2015) deals with the political situation in Tibet. while Senzo Ni Naru (2013), about the aftermath of March, 11 2011 earthquake, was screened at the Berlin Festival.
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Daisuke Arakawa
- Occupations
- athletics competitor
- Biography
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Daisuke Arakawa is a Japanese athlete specialising in the long jump. He twice represented his country at World Championships, in 2007 and 2009, failing to reach the final.
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Malika Kishino
- Occupations
- composer
- Biography
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Malika Kishino is a Japanese composer based in Cologne, Germany.
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Masahiro Tabata
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Masahiro Tabata was a Japanese politician who served in the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature) as a member of the New Komeito Party. A native of Wakayama, Wakayama and graduate of Doshisha University, he was elected for the first time in 1993 after working as a journalist. Tabata died from pneumonia on 5 January 2025, at the age of 85.
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Henrik Takkenberg
- Occupations
- singersongwriter
- Biography
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Henrik Takkenberg was a lead singer, songwriter, composer and producer who developed a new musical style he named Flamenco Chill.
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Yūma Koishi
- Occupations
- sport cyclist
- Biography
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Yūma Koishi is a Japanese cyclist, who currently rides for UCI Continental team Kinan Racing Team.
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Kurahara Korehiro
- Occupations
- educatorpolitician
- Biography
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Korehiro Kurahara was a Japanese educator and politician. He was the father of Korehito Kurahara.
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Yoshinobu Miyake
- Occupations
- kannushi
- Biography
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Yoshinobu Miyake is a Japanese Shinto priest and scholar. Rev. Miyake was appointed the Superior General of Konko Church of Izuo in 2006 and appointed chair of the Board of International Shinto Studies Association in 2013.
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Tasuku Harada
- Occupations
- pastormissionaryuniversity presidentuniversity teacher
- Biography
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Tasuku Harada was a Japanese pastor and the president of Doshisha University from 1907 to 1919. Harada started the University of Hawaii's Japanese Studies department in 1922.
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Kanae Ikehata
- Enrolled in Doshisha University
- Studied in 2005
- Occupations
- fencer
- Biography
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Kanae Ikehata is a Japanese female Foil fencer. She competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics in the individual event and the team event. In the individual event she was eliminated in the quarterfinals by Nam Hyun-Hee. In the team event the Japanese team was eliminated in the second round by Russia.
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Yasuo Watani
- Occupations
- harmonicist
- Biography
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Yasuo Watani is a Japanese chromatic harmonica player. He was born in Kyoto, Japan and had his first harmonica lessons with Tadao Kobayashi in 1966. After graduating from Doshisha University (Faculty of Commerce) in 1984 with a degree in Economics, he studied the chromatic harmonica with Helmuth Herold at the Hohner-Konservatorium Trossingen in Germany from 1984 to 1988. He also learned the harmonica from the Canadian harmonica soloist Tommy Reilly. Watani was invited to stay on as a Lecturer at the Hohner-Konservatorium and taught from 1988 to 2002. Since 2005, he is a Music Professor for harmonica at Senzoku-Gakuen College of Music, Japan. He has been invited to judge at many harmonica competitions and festivals, including World Harmonica Festival and Asia Pacific Harmonica Festival.
