55 Notable alumni of
Kansai University
Updated:
Kansai University is 223rd in the world, 42nd in Asia, and 20th in Japan by aggregated alumni prominence. Below is the list of 55 notable alumni from Kansai 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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Marin Honda
- Occupations
- child actorfigure skatertarento
- Biography
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Marin Honda is a retired Japanese figure skater. She is the 2016 World Junior champion, the 2017 World Junior silver medalist, the 2015–16 Junior Grand Prix Final bronze medalist, and the 2016–17 Japanese Junior National bronze medalist. She is the former junior world record holder for the free program.
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Francis Fukuyama
- Occupations
- writerpolitical scientisteconomistphotographerphilosopher
- Biography
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Francis Yoshihiro Fukuyama is an American political scientist, political economist, international relations scholar and writer.
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Naoki Matayoshi
- Occupations
- tarentonovelistowarai tarento
- Biography
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Naoki Matayoshi is a Japanese comedian, screenwriter, and novelist who won the Akutagawa Prize in 2015 for his book Hibana (火花, Spark), which was adapted into the Netflix series Hibana: Spark.
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Norio Wakamoto
- Occupations
- seiyū
- Biography
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Norio Wakamoto is a Japanese voice actor affiliated with the Sigma Seven talent agency. He was born in Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture, and was raised in Sakai, Osaka Prefecture. He graduated from Waseda University.
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Rika Kihira
- Occupations
- figure skater
- Biography
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Rika Kihira is a Japanese figure skater. She is a two-time Four Continents champion (2019, 2020), the 2018 Grand Prix Final champion, a four-time Grand Prix series medalist (2018 NHK Trophy gold, 2018 Internationaux de France gold, 2019 Skate Canada silver, 2019 NHK Trophy silver), a two-time International Challenge Cup champion, and a two-time Japanese national champion (2019, 2020). As of 25 March 2022, Kihira is the twelfth highest ranked women's singles skater in the world by the International Skating Union.
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Satoko Miyahara
- Occupations
- figure skater
- Biography
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Satoko Miyahara is a retired Japanese figure skater. She is the 2015 World silver medalist, the 2018 World bronze medalist, the 2016 Four Continents champion, a two-time Four Continents silver medalist (2014, 2015), a two-time Grand Prix Final silver medalist (2015, 2016), a two-time Skate America champion (2017, 2018), the 2015 NHK Trophy champion, a four-time CS U.S. Classic champion (2015, 2016, 2018, 2019), the 2014 CS Lombardia Trophy champion, and a four-time Japanese national champion (2014–17).
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Nobunari Oda
- Occupations
- figure skating coachfigure skatertarento
- Biography
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Nobunari Oda is a Japanese competitive figure skater. He is the 2006 Four Continents champion, a four-time Grand Prix Final medalist (silver in 2009 and 2010; bronze in 2006 and 2013), the 2005 World Junior champion and the 2008 Japanese national champion.
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Kōji Tsuruta
- Occupations
- actorsinger
- Biography
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Eiichi Ono, better known by his stage name Kōji Tsuruta (鶴田 浩二, Tsuruta Kōji), was a Japanese actor and singer. He appeared in almost 260 feature films and had a unique style of singing. His daughter, Sayaka Tsuruta, is an actress.
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Katsura Bunshi VI
- Occupations
- rakugokaseiyūtarentocomedian
- Biography
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Shizuya Kawamura, known by his stage name Katsura Bunshi VI (六代 桂 文枝, Rokudai Katsura Bunshi), is a Japanese TV presenter and rakugo artist.
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Takashi Shimura
- Occupations
- film actor
- Biography
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Takashi Shimura was a Japanese actor who appeared in over 200 films between 1934 and 1981. He appeared in 21 of Akira Kurosawa's 30 films (more than any other actor), including as a lead actor in Drunken Angel (1948), Rashomon (1950), Ikiru (1952) and Seven Samurai (1954). He played Professor Kyohei Yamane in Ishirō Honda's original Godzilla (1954) and its first sequel, Godzilla Raids Again (1955). For his contributions to the arts, the Japanese government decorated Shimura with the Medal with Purple Ribbon in 1974 and the Order of the Rising Sun, 4th Class, Gold Rays with Rosette in 1980.
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Kana Muramoto
- Occupations
- ice dancerfigure skater
- Biography
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Kana Muramoto is a retired Japanese figure skater (women's singles and ice dance). With her skating partner, Daisuke Takahashi, she is the 2022 Four Continents silver medalist, the 2022-23 Japanese national champion and the 2022 Denis Ten Memorial Challenge champion.
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Daisuke Takahashi
- Occupations
- ice dancerfigure skater
- Biography
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Daisuke Takahashi is a retired Japanese figure skater (men's singles and ice dance) and ice show producer. As a singles skater, he is the 2010 Olympic bronze medalist, the 2010 World champion, the 2012–13 Grand Prix Final champion, a two-time (2008, 2011) Four Continents champion, and a five-time (2006-2008, 2010, 2012) Japanese national champion.
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Minoru Murayama
- Occupations
- baseball player
- Biography
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Minoru Murayama was a professional baseball player for the Osaka Tigers (later Hanshin Tigers) in Nippon Professional Baseball. His number 11 is retired with the Tigers. A pitcher with Hanshin from 1959 to 1972, he recorded a career 2.09 ERA and 192 career complete games to go with 222 wins. He was inducted into the Japanese Hall of Fame in 1993.
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Sōhei Kamiya
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Sohei Kamiya is a Japanese politician who is the founder and Secretary General of right-wing populist political party Sanseitō. Kamiya is serving as a member of the House of Councillors since 2022 through the Proportional Representation Block.
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Yasutomo Kubo
- Occupations
- baseball player
- Biography
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Yasutomo Kubo is a Japanese professional baseball pitcher for the Hamburg Stealers of the German Baseball Bundesliga. He has played in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Chiba Lotte Marines from 2005 to 2008, the Hanshin Tigers from 2009 to 2013, and the Yokohama DeNA BayStars from 2014 to 2017.
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Tatsuki Machida
- Occupations
- figure skater
- Biography
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Tatsuki Machida is a Japanese retired figure skater. He is the 2014 World silver medalist, the 2010 Four Continents silver medalist, and the 2013–14 Japanese national silver medalist. Machida is the winner of four Grand Prix events — the 2012 Cup of China, 2013 Skate America, 2013 Rostelecom Cup, and 2014 Skate America.
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Minoru Iwata
- Occupations
- baseball player
- Biography
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Minoru Iwata is a Japanese baseball pitcher from Moriguchi, Osaka, Japan and he currently plays for the Hanshin Tigers. He was a member of the Japan team in the 2009 World Baseball Classic.
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Yu Ying-shih
- Occupations
- historianphilosophersinologist
- Biography
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Yu Ying-shih was a Chinese-born American historian, sinologist, and the Gordon Wu '58 Professor of Chinese Studies, Emeritus, at Princeton University. He was known for his mastery of sources for Chinese history and philosophy, his ability to synthesize them on a wide range of topics, and for his advocacy for a new Confucianism. He was a tenured professor at Harvard University and Yale University before his time at Princeton.
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Kiyou Shimizu
- Occupations
- karateka
- Biography
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Kiyou Shimizu is a Japanese karateka competing in the women's kata event. She won the silver medal in the women's kata event at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan. She is also a two-time gold medalist at the World Karate Championships and a three-time gold medalist at the Asian Games.
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Bird
- Occupations
- singer-songwriter
- Biography
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Bird, stylized as bird, is a Japanese singer.
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Toshiharu Ueda
- Occupations
- baseball player
- Biography
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Toshiharu Ueda was a professional Japanese baseball player, coach, and manager. He was elected to the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame in 2003.
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Tetsurō Nishida
- Occupations
- baseball player
- Biography
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Tetsuro Nishida is a Japanese former professional baseball player who is currently a staff for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). He has played in NPB for the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles and Hawks.
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Tomohiro Yamamoto
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Tomohiro Yamamoto is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature).
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Tomoyuki Tanaka
- Occupations
- film directorscreenwriterproducerfilm producer
- Biography
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Tomoyuki "Yūkō" Tanaka was a Japanese film producer. Widely regarded as the creator of the Godzilla franchise, he produced most of the installments in the series, beginning in 1954 with Godzilla and ending in 1995 with Godzilla vs. Destoroyah. He was one of the most prolific Japanese producers of all time, having worked on more than 200 films, including over 80 tokusatsu films.
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Yuna Shiraiwa
- Occupations
- figure skater
- Biography
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Yuna Shiraiwa is a Japanese figure skater. She is the 2018 CS Asian Open silver medalist, the 2017 Asian Trophy silver medalist, and the 2018 Coupe du Printemps bronze medalist. Earlier in her career, she won gold medals at two ISU Junior Grand Prix events and finished within the top five at three World Junior Championships (2016, 2017, 2019).
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Hiroki Kikuta
- Occupations
- musiciancomposermusic arranger
- Biography
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Hiroki Kikuta is a Japanese composer and game designer. His major works are Secret of Mana, Trials of Mana, Soukaigi, and Koudelka, for which he also acted as producer and concept designer. He has composed music for seven other games, and worked as a concept designer in addition to composer for the unreleased MMORPG Chou Bukyo Taisen. He became interested in music at an early age, but earned a degree in Religious Studies, Philosophy, and Cultural Anthropology from Kansai University. He spent the next few years working first as a manga illustrator, then as a composer for anime series, before coming to work for Square in 1991.
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Nobuo Satō
- Occupations
- figure skating coachfigure skater
- Biography
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Nobuo Satō is a Japanese figure skater and coach. He is a ten-time Japanese national champion. He represented Japan at the 1960 Winter Olympics, where he placed 14th, and at the 1964 Winter Olympics, where he placed 8th. His best finish at the World Championships was 4th in 1965.
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Gōgen Yamaguchi
- Occupations
- karateka
- Biography
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Jitsumi Gōgen Yamaguchi, also known as Gōgen Yamaguchi, was a Japanese martial artist and student of Gōjū-ryū Karate under Chōjun Miyagi. He was one of the most well-known karate-dō masters from Japan and he founded the International Karate-dō Gōjū Kai Association.
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Satsuki Muramoto
- Occupations
- figure skating coachfigure skater
- Biography
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Satsuki Muramoto is a Japanese former competitive figure skater. She is the 2010 Triglav Trophy champion and 2009 Merano Cup silver medalist. Muramoto was coached by Mie Hamada and Yamato Tamura. After retiring from competition, she became a coach.
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Takashi Tanihata
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Takashi Tanihata is a Japanese politician serving in the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature) as a member of the Initiatives from Osaka party. A native of Osaka Prefecture and graduate of Kansai University he was elected for the first time in 1989 after an unsuccessful run in 1986.
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Tomokatsu Kitagawa
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Tomokatsu Kitagawa was a Japanese politician from the Liberal Democratic Party, and a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature). A native of Neyagawa, Osaka and graduate of Kansai University, he ran unsuccessfully for the House of Representatives in 2000. He became a member in July 2003 as proportional replacement from the LDP list in Kinki for deceased Tōru Okutani, in the November 2003 election he was elected for the first time. He ran for re-election in 2009 and was defeated by Shinji Tarutoko of the Democratic Party. Kitagawa recaptured his seat in the 2012 election and held it until his death from peritonitis on 26 December 2018.
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Shoya Ichihashi
- Occupations
- figure skater
- Biography
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Shoya Ichihashi is a Japanese pair skater. With his skating partner, Miyu Yunoki, he is the 2022 Japanese national champion.
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Tetsuzo Fuyushiba
- Occupations
- politicianlawyer
- Biography
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Tetsuzo Fuyushiba was a Japanese politician of the New Komeito Party, a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature). He served as Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport as well as Minister of State for Tourism Promotion in Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda's Cabinet.
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Kiyoshige Maekawa
- Occupations
- politicianlawyer
- Biography
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Kiyoshige Maekawa is a Japanese politician of the Democratic Party of Japan, a former member of the House of Councillors in the Diet (national legislature).
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Yusuke Igawa
- Occupations
- association football player
- Biography
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Yusuke Igawa is a former Japanese football player who last played for Hong Kong Premier League club Eastern. He is currently the head coach of Hong Kong Third Division club Lansbury.
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Mitsuki Sumoto
- Occupations
- figure skater
- Biography
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Mitsuki Sumoto is a Japanese former competitive figure skater. He is the 2017–18 Junior Grand Prix Final bronze medalist, the 2017 JGP Latvia champion, and the 2017–18 Japanese junior national champion. He finished within the top ten at the 2018 World Junior Championships.
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Takae Itō
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Takae Itō is a Japanese politician who has served as a member of the House of Councillors of Japan since 2016. She represents the Hyogo at-large district and is a member of the Komeito party.
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Kansei Nakano
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Kansei Nakano is a Japanese politician. He is a member of the Democratic Party of Japan and the Vice-Speaker of the Lower House of the Diet.
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Issei Kitagawa
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Issei Kitagawa was a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, a member of the House of Councillors in the Diet (national legislature). A graduate of Kansai University, he was elected to the House of Councillors for the first time in 2004 after serving in the assembly of Osaka Prefecture for four terms.
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Sōichirō Fujitaka
- Occupations
- basketball player
- Biography
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Soichiro Fujitaka, nicknamed So, is a Japanese professional basketball player who plays for Bambitious Nara of the B.League in Japan. He also plays for Japan men's national 3x3 team.
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Dale W. Jorgenson
- Occupations
- economistuniversity teacher
- Biography
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Dale Weldeau Jorgenson was an American economist who served as the Samuel W. Morris University Professor at Harvard University. An influential econometric scholar, he was famed for his work on the relationship between productivity and economic growth, the economics of climate change, and the intersection between economics and statistics. Described as a "master" of his field, he received the John Bates Clark Medal in 1971, and was described as a worthy contender for the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences.
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Akira Nishino
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Akira Nishino is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature). A native of Higashiosaka, Osaka and graduate of Kansai University he was elected to the assembly of Osaka Prefecture for the first time in 1975. In 1993 he unsuccessfully ran for the House of Representatives as a member of the LDP. He ran again in 1996, this time as a member of the now-defunct New Frontier Party, and was elected for the first time. He later joined the LDP.
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Tatsuo Yada
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Tatsuo Yata is a Japanese politician who became the mayor of Kobe, the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture in Japan from 2001 until 2013. He was first elected in October 2001 and won the re-election four years later.
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Kim Chae-hwa
- Occupations
- figure skater
- Biography
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Kim Chae-hwa, also known by her Japanese name Ayaka Nagase (長瀬彩華), is a South Korean former competitive figure skater. She is the 2007 South Korean national champion. Her best result at an ISU Championship was seventh at the 2006 World Junior Championships.
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Kenkichi Ōshima
- Occupations
- athletics competitorjournalist
- Biography
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Kenkichi Oshima was a Japanese triple jumper who won a bronze medal at the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. He was the flag bearer for Japan at the 1936 Games in Berlin.
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Shinya Wada
- Occupations
- athlete
- Biography
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Shinya Wada is a visually impaired Japanese long-distance runner. Competing in the T11 classification, Shinya has represented his country at the 2012 Summer Paralympics in London, where he took the bronze medal in the men's 5000m T11 race. He is also a multiple World and Asian Para Games medalist, taking six medals over four tournaments.
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Hideji Hōjō
- Occupations
- screenwriterplaywright
- Biography
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Hideji Hōjō was the pen name of a Japanese author, novelist, and playwright in Shōwa period Japan. His real name was Iino Hideji (飯野 秀二).
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Shu Sasaki
- Occupations
- association football player
- Biography
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Shu Sasaki is a Japanese professional footballer who currently plays for Hong Kong Premier League club Southern.
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Emi Hirai
- Occupations
- ice dancerfigure skater
- Biography
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Emi Hirai is a Japanese former ice dancer. With skating partner Marien de la Asuncion, she is a four-time Japanese national silver medalist and has competed at four Four Continents Championships.
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Masamitsu Ichiguchi
- Occupations
- amateur wrestler
- Biography
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Masamitsu Ichiguchi is a retired Japanese wrestler. He competed in the Greco-Roman bantamweight event at the 1960 and 1964 Olympics and finished in seventh and first place, respectively. Earlier in 1962 he won the world championships and Asian Games in the same event.
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Shion Kokubun
- Occupations
- figure skater
- Biography
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Shion Kokubun is a former Japanese figure skater. She won the 2009 Golden Spin of Zagreb.
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Tadashi Maeda
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Tadashi Maeda was a Japanese politician who served two terms in the House of Representatives.
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Shimpei Sakurada
- Occupations
- association football player
- Biography
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Shimpei Sakurada is a Japanese football player. He is currently playing for Yadanarbon FC.
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Seiichirō Tsuda
- Occupations
- long-distance runnermiddle-distance runnermarathon runner
- Biography
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Seiichiro Tsuda was a Japanese runner who won the 1500 metres event at the 1927 and 1930 Far Eastern Championship Games. He competed at the 1928 and 1932 Olympics in the marathon and finished in fifth and sixth place, respectively.
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Kenshi Togami
- Years
- 1912-1986 (aged 74)
- Occupations
- athletics competitor
- Biography
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Kenshi Togami was a Japanese athlete. He competed in the men's long jump at the 1936 Summer Olympics.
