55 Notable alumni of
Kansai University

Updated:

EduRank

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.

  1. Marin Honda

    Marin Honda
    Born in
    Japan Flag Japan
    Years
    2001-.. (age 23)
    Occupations
    child actorfigure skatertarento
    Biography

    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.

  2. Francis Fukuyama

    Francis Fukuyama
    Born in
    United States Flag United States
    Years
    1952-.. (age 72)
    Occupations
    writerpolitical scientisteconomistphotographerphilosopher
    Biography

    Francis Yoshihiro Fukuyama is an American political scientist, political economist, international relations scholar and writer.

  3. Naoki Matayoshi

    Naoki Matayoshi
    Born in
    Japan Flag Japan
    Years
    1980-.. (age 44)
    Occupations
    tarentonovelistowarai tarento
    Biography

    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.

  4. Norio Wakamoto

    Norio Wakamoto
    Born in
    Japan Flag Japan
    Years
    1945-.. (age 79)
    Occupations
    seiyū
    Biography

    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.

  5. Rika Kihira

    Rika Kihira
    Born in
    Japan Flag Japan
    Years
    2002-.. (age 22)
    Occupations
    figure skater
    Biography

    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.

  6. Satoko Miyahara

    Satoko Miyahara
    Born in
    Japan Flag Japan
    Years
    1998-.. (age 26)
    Occupations
    figure skater
    Biography

    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).

  7. Nobunari Oda

    Nobunari Oda
    Born in
    Japan Flag Japan
    Years
    1987-.. (age 37)
    Occupations
    figure skating coachfigure skatertarento
    Biography

    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.

  8. Kōji Tsuruta

    Kōji Tsuruta
    Born in
    Japan Flag Japan
    Years
    1924-1987 (aged 63)
    Occupations
    actorsinger
    Biography

    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.

  9. Katsura Bunshi VI

    Katsura Bunshi VI
    Born in
    Japan Flag Japan
    Years
    1943-.. (age 81)
    Occupations
    rakugokaseiyūtarentocomedian
    Biography

    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.

  10. Takashi Shimura

    Takashi Shimura
    Born in
    Japan Flag Japan
    Years
    1905-1982 (aged 77)
    Occupations
    film actor
    Biography

    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.

  11. Kana Muramoto

    Kana Muramoto
    Born in
    Japan Flag Japan
    Years
    1993-.. (age 31)
    Occupations
    ice dancerfigure skater
    Biography

    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.

  12. Daisuke Takahashi

    Daisuke Takahashi
    Born in
    Japan Flag Japan
    Years
    1986-.. (age 38)
    Occupations
    ice dancerfigure skater
    Biography

    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.

  13. Minoru Murayama

    Minoru Murayama
    Born in
    Japan Flag Japan
    Years
    1936-1998 (aged 62)
    Occupations
    baseball player
    Biography

    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.

  14. Sōhei Kamiya

    Sōhei Kamiya
    Born in
    Japan Flag Japan
    Years
    1977-.. (age 47)
    Occupations
    politician
    Biography

    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.

  15. Yasutomo Kubo

    Yasutomo Kubo
    Born in
    Japan Flag Japan
    Years
    1980-.. (age 44)
    Occupations
    baseball player
    Biography

    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.

  16. Tatsuki Machida

    Tatsuki Machida
    Born in
    Japan Flag Japan
    Years
    1990-.. (age 34)
    Occupations
    figure skater
    Biography

    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.

  17. Minoru Iwata

    Minoru Iwata
    Born in
    Japan Flag Japan
    Years
    1983-.. (age 41)
    Occupations
    baseball player
    Biography

    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.

  18. Yu Ying-shih

    Yu Ying-shih
    Born in
    China Flag China
    Years
    1930-2021 (aged 91)
    Occupations
    historianphilosophersinologist
    Biography

    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.

  19. Kiyou Shimizu

    Kiyou Shimizu
    Born in
    Japan Flag Japan
    Years
    1993-.. (age 31)
    Occupations
    karateka
    Biography

    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.

  20. Bird

    Bird
    Born in
    Japan Flag Japan
    Years
    1975-.. (age 49)
    Occupations
    singer-songwriter
    Biography

    Bird, stylized as bird, is a Japanese singer.

  21. Toshiharu Ueda

    Toshiharu Ueda
    Born in
    Japan Flag Japan
    Years
    1937-2017 (aged 80)
    Occupations
    baseball player
    Biography

    Toshiharu Ueda was a professional Japanese baseball player, coach, and manager. He was elected to the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame in 2003.

  22. Tetsurō Nishida

    Tetsurō Nishida
    Born in
    Japan Flag Japan
    Years
    1991-.. (age 33)
    Occupations
    baseball player
    Biography

    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.

  23. Tomohiro Yamamoto

    Tomohiro Yamamoto
    Born in
    Japan Flag Japan
    Years
    1975-.. (age 49)
    Occupations
    politician
    Biography

    Tomohiro Yamamoto is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature).

  24. Tomoyuki Tanaka

    Tomoyuki Tanaka
    Born in
    Japan Flag Japan
    Years
    1910-1997 (aged 87)
    Occupations
    film directorscreenwriterproducerfilm producer
    Biography

    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.

  25. Yuna Shiraiwa

    Yuna Shiraiwa
    Born in
    Japan Flag Japan
    Years
    2001-.. (age 23)
    Occupations
    figure skater
    Biography

    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).

  26. Hiroki Kikuta

    Hiroki Kikuta
    Born in
    Japan Flag Japan
    Years
    1962-.. (age 62)
    Occupations
    musiciancomposermusic arranger
    Biography

    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.

  27. Nobuo Satō

    Nobuo Satō
    Born in
    Japan Flag Japan
    Years
    1942-.. (age 82)
    Occupations
    figure skating coachfigure skater
    Biography

    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.

  28. Gōgen Yamaguchi

    Gōgen Yamaguchi
    Born in
    Japan Flag Japan
    Years
    1909-1989 (aged 80)
    Occupations
    karateka
    Biography

    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.

  29. Satsuki Muramoto

    Satsuki Muramoto
    Born in
    Japan Flag Japan
    Years
    1990-.. (age 34)
    Occupations
    figure skating coachfigure skater
    Biography

    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.

  30. Takashi Tanihata

    Takashi Tanihata
    Born in
    Japan Flag Japan
    Years
    1947-.. (age 77)
    Occupations
    politician
    Biography

    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.

  31. Tomokatsu Kitagawa

    Tomokatsu Kitagawa
    Born in
    Japan Flag Japan
    Years
    1951-2018 (aged 67)
    Occupations
    politician
    Biography

    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.

  32. Shoya Ichihashi

    Shoya Ichihashi
    Born in
    Japan Flag Japan
    Years
    1997-.. (age 27)
    Occupations
    figure skater
    Biography

    Shoya Ichihashi is a Japanese pair skater. With his skating partner, Miyu Yunoki, he is the 2022 Japanese national champion.

  33. Tetsuzo Fuyushiba

    Tetsuzo Fuyushiba
    Born in
    China Flag China
    Years
    1936-2011 (aged 75)
    Occupations
    politicianlawyer
    Biography

    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.

  34. Kiyoshige Maekawa

    Kiyoshige Maekawa
    Born in
    Japan Flag Japan
    Years
    1962-.. (age 62)
    Occupations
    politicianlawyer
    Biography

    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).

  35. Yusuke Igawa

    Yusuke Igawa
    Born in
    Japan Flag Japan
    Years
    1982-.. (age 42)
    Occupations
    association football player
    Biography

    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.

  36. Mitsuki Sumoto

    Mitsuki Sumoto
    Born in
    Japan Flag Japan
    Years
    2001-.. (age 23)
    Occupations
    figure skater
    Biography

    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.

  37. Takae Itō

    Takae Itō
    Born in
    Japan Flag Japan
    Years
    1968-.. (age 56)
    Occupations
    politician
    Biography

    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.

  38. Kansei Nakano

    Kansei Nakano
    Born in
    Japan Flag Japan
    Years
    1940-.. (age 84)
    Occupations
    politician
    Biography

    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.

  39. Issei Kitagawa

    Issei Kitagawa
    Born in
    Japan Flag Japan
    Years
    1942-2021 (aged 79)
    Occupations
    politician
    Biography

    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.

  40. Sōichirō Fujitaka

    Sōichirō Fujitaka
    Born in
    Japan Flag Japan
    Years
    1991-.. (age 33)
    Occupations
    basketball player
    Biography

    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.

  41. Dale W. Jorgenson

    Dale W. Jorgenson
    Born in
    United States Flag United States
    Years
    1933-2022 (aged 89)
    Occupations
    economistuniversity teacher
    Biography

    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.

  42. Akira Nishino

    Akira Nishino
    Born in
    Japan Flag Japan
    Years
    1940-.. (age 84)
    Occupations
    politician
    Biography

    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.

  43. Tatsuo Yada

    Tatsuo Yada
    Born in
    Japan Flag Japan
    Years
    1940-.. (age 84)
    Occupations
    politician
    Biography

    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.

  44. Kim Chae-hwa

    Kim Chae-hwa
    Born in
    Japan Flag Japan
    Years
    1988-.. (age 36)
    Occupations
    figure skater
    Biography

    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.

  45. Kenkichi Ōshima

    Kenkichi Ōshima
    Born in
    Japan Flag Japan
    Years
    1908-1985 (aged 77)
    Occupations
    athletics competitorjournalist
    Biography

    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.

  46. Shinya Wada

    Shinya Wada
    Born in
    Japan Flag Japan
    Years
    1977-.. (age 47)
    Occupations
    athlete
    Biography

    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.

  47. Hideji Hōjō

    Hideji Hōjō
    Born in
    Japan Flag Japan
    Years
    1902-1996 (aged 94)
    Occupations
    screenwriterplaywright
    Biography

    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).

  48. Shu Sasaki

    Shu Sasaki
    Born in
    Japan Flag Japan
    Years
    1991-.. (age 33)
    Occupations
    association football player
    Biography

    Shu Sasaki is a Japanese professional footballer who currently plays for Hong Kong Premier League club Southern.

  49. Emi Hirai

    Emi Hirai
    Born in
    Japan Flag Japan
    Years
    1986-.. (age 38)
    Occupations
    ice dancerfigure skater
    Biography

    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.

  50. Masamitsu Ichiguchi

    Masamitsu Ichiguchi
    Born in
    Japan Flag Japan
    Years
    1940-.. (age 84)
    Occupations
    amateur wrestler
    Biography

    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.

  51. Shion Kokubun

    Shion Kokubun
    Born in
    Japan Flag Japan
    Years
    1991-.. (age 33)
    Occupations
    figure skater
    Biography

    Shion Kokubun is a former Japanese figure skater. She won the 2009 Golden Spin of Zagreb.

  52. Tadashi Maeda

    Tadashi Maeda
    Born in
    Japan Flag Japan
    Years
    1946-2013 (aged 67)
    Occupations
    politician
    Biography

    Tadashi Maeda was a Japanese politician who served two terms in the House of Representatives.

  53. Shimpei Sakurada

    Shimpei Sakurada
    Born in
    Japan Flag Japan
    Years
    1984-.. (age 40)
    Occupations
    association football player
    Biography

    Shimpei Sakurada is a Japanese football player. He is currently playing for Yadanarbon FC.

  54. Seiichirō Tsuda

    Seiichirō Tsuda
    Born in
    Japan Flag Japan
    Years
    1906-1991 (aged 85)
    Occupations
    long-distance runnermiddle-distance runnermarathon runner
    Biography

    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.

  55. Kenshi Togami

    Kenshi Togami
    Years
    1912-1986 (aged 74)
    Occupations
    athletics competitor
    Biography

    Kenshi Togami was a Japanese athlete. He competed in the men's long jump at the 1936 Summer Olympics.