100 Notable alumni of
Keio University
Updated:
Keio University is 16th in the world, 3rd in Asia, and 3rd in Japan by aggregated alumni prominence. Below is the list of 100 notable alumni from Keio 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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Fumi Nikaidō
- Occupations
- modelactorfashion model
- Biography
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Fumi Nikaidō is a Japanese actress.
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Takanori Iwata
- Occupations
- actordancertelevision actor
- Biography
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Takanori Iwata is a Japanese dancer and actor. He performs with the J-Pop groups Sandaime J Soul Brothers and Exile. As a member of Sandaime J Soul Brothers, he has received the Japan Record Awards twice. He earned his first leading role as an actor in the film Shokubutsu Zukan ("Evergreen Love") in 2016, which won him the "Newcomer of the Year Award" at the 40th Japan Academy Film Prize. Since then, he has appeared in many more television dramas and films. In 2019, he starred as Junichi Wakamiya, the Japanese version of Dr. Watson, in Fuji TV's drama Sherlock: Untold Stories.
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Sho Sakurai
- Occupations
- film actortelevision actorstage actortelevision presenteractor
- Biography
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Sho Sakurai is a Japanese singer, songwriter, rapper, actor, news anchor, host and former radio host. He is a member of the boy band Arashi.
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Jun'ichirō Koizumi
- Occupations
- politiciandiplomateconomist
- Biography
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Junichiro Koizumi is a Japanese retired politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan and president of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) from 2001 to 2006. He retired from politics in 2009. He is the sixth-longest serving Prime Minister in Japanese history.
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Mariya Takeuchi
- Occupations
- composerrecord producersingersinger-songwriterlyricist
- Biography
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Mariya Takeuchi is a Japanese singer and songwriter. Regarded as an influential figure in the city pop genre, she is one of the best-selling music artists in Japan, having sold over 16 million records, and has received several accolades. Her husband is Tatsuro Yamashita, a singer-songwriter and record producer.
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Nobuo Kishi
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Nobuo Kishi is a Japanese politician. He sat in the House of Representatives from 2012 to 2023 representing Yamaguchi’s 2nd District as a member of the Liberal Democratic Party. From September 2020 to August 2022 he served as the Minister of Defense. He is the younger brother of former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe.
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Ichikawa Ennosuke IV
- Occupations
- actorkabuki actor
- Biography
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Takahiko Kinoshi, better known by the stage name Ichikawa Ennosuke IV (四代目 市川 猿之助, Yodaime Ichikawa Ennosuke), is a Japanese kabuki, film, and television actor and stage director.
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Taro Kono
- Occupations
- university teacherpolitician
- Biography
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Taro Kono is a Japanese politician who served as the Minister for Digital Transformation from 2022 to 2024. A member of the Liberal Democratic Party, he previously served as Minister for Administrative Reform and Regulatory Reform from 2015 to 2016 and from 2020 to 2021, and was the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister of Defense under Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. He is also a member of the House of Representatives representing Kanagawa's 15th district since 1996.
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Hidetaka Miyazaki
- Enrolled in Keio University
- Studied social science
- Occupations
- representative directorcreative directorvideo game writervideo game designer
- Biography
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Hidetaka Miyazaki is a Japanese video game director, designer, writer, and president of the game developer FromSoftware. He joined the company in 2004 and was a designer for the Armored Core series before receiving wider recognition for creating the Dark Souls series. Miyazaki was promoted to company president in 2014 and also serves as its representative director. Other similar games he has directed include Demon's Souls, Bloodborne, Sekiro, and Elden Ring.
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Furukawa Yuki
- Occupations
- modelfilm actoractor
- Biography
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Yuki Furukawa is a Japanese actor. He gained popularity as Naoki Irie in the 2013 television series Mischievous Kiss: Love in Tokyo and its sequel, Mischievous Kiss 2: Love in Okinawa.
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Akio Toyoda
- Occupations
- business executiveindustrialistentrepreneurracing automobile driver
- Biography
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Akio Toyoda is a Japanese business executive who is the chairman of Toyota Motor Corporation. He was previously the company's president and chief executive officer (CEO). Toyoda is a great-grandson of the industrialist, Sakichi Toyoda, and a grandson of both the founder of Toyota Motors, Kiichiro Toyoda, and the founder of the Takashimaya department stores corporation, Shinshichi Iida.
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Miwa
- Occupations
- recording artistactorsingercomposersinger-songwriter
- Biography
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Miwa is a Japanese singer-songwriter. She debuted in 2010 with the single "Don't Cry Anymore", which was used as the theme song for the drama Nakanai to Kimeta Hi.
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Wakana Aoi
- Occupations
- seiyūactorchild actor
- Biography
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Wakana Aoi is a Japanese actress and former singer. In March 2017, she landed the lead role in NHK's 97th Asadora, Laugh It Up!, which aired from October 2017 to March 2018.
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Noritoshi Furuichi
- Occupations
- criticsociologist
- Biography
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Noritoshi Furuichi is Japanese Sociologist and novelist. He is also a TV personality. He is also known for his best-selling book Zetsubō no Kuni no Kōfuku na Wakamono-tachi (The Happy Youth of a Desperate Country).
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Naoko Takeuchi
- Occupations
- mangakacomics creatorlyricistcomics writerpharmacist
- Biography
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Naoko Takeuchi is a Japanese manga artist. She is best known as the author of Sailor Moon, one of the most popular manga series of all time. She has won several awards, including the 1993 Kodansha Manga Award for Sailor Moon.
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Airi Suzuki
- Occupations
- child actormodelactorsinger
- Biography
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Airi Suzuki is a Japanese singer, actress, model, and radio personality associated with Up-Front Works. In 2002, she joined Hello! Project as a member of Hello! Project Kids and later debuted as the lead vocalist of the Japanese idol girl group Cute in 2005. Throughout her singing career, Suzuki also became a vocalist for the girl group Buono! From June 2015 onwards, she became an exclusive model for the fashion magazine Ray.
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Yūzō Kayama
- Occupations
- pianistactortarentopaintercomposer
- Biography
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Yūzō Kayama is a Japanese popular musician, singer-songwriter and actor.
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Inukai Tsuyoshi
- Occupations
- journalistpolitician
- Biography
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Inukai Tsuyoshi was a Japanese statesman who was prime minister of Japan from 1931 to his assassination in 1932. At the age of 76, Inukai was Japan's second oldest serving prime minister, after Kantarō Suzuki whose term ended at the age of 77.
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Yoshinobu Takahashi
- Occupations
- baseball playerbaseball coachbaseball commentatorbaseball manager
- Biography
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Yoshinobu Takahashi is a Japanese former professional baseball player and manager. He spent his entire playing career with the Yomiuri Giants and served as the team's manager for three seasons. He graduated from Keio University.
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Mina Fujii
- Occupations
- film actortelevision actorstage actoractor
- Biography
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Mina Fujii is a Japanese actress. She started her career in the entertainment industry at the age of nine. She is best known for her role in the TV adaptation of Bloody Monday, Kyōfu, and for appearing in TVXQ's "Dōshite Kimi o Suki ni Natte Shimattandarō?" music video.
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Ichirō Ozawa
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Ichirō Ozawa is a Japanese politician and has been a member of the House of Representatives since 1969, representing the Iwate 3rd district (Iwate 2nd district prior to the 1996 general election and Iwate 4th district prior to the 2017 general election). He is often dubbed the "Shadow Shōgun" due to his back-room influence.
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Yoshie Takeuchi
- Occupations
- announcer
- Biography
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Yoshie Takeuchi is a freelance announcer in Japan. She is a former announcer for TV Asahi.
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Ryutaro Hashimoto
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Ryutaro Hashimoto was a Japanese politician who served as prime minister of Japan from 1996 to 1998.
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Ayuko Kato
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Ayuko Kato is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) who is the current member of the House of Representatives for Yamagata 3rd district. She served as Minister of State in the Kishida Cabinet.
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Yohji Yamamoto
- Enrolled in Keio University
- In 1966 graduated with licentiate in law
- Occupations
- dressmakercostume designerdesignerartist
- Biography
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Yohji Yamamoto is a Japanese fashion designer based in Tokyo and Paris. Considered a master tailor alongside those such as Madeleine Vionnet, he is known for his avant-garde tailoring featuring Japanese design aesthetics.
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Akira Ikegami
- Occupations
- journalist
- Biography
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Akira Ikegami is a Japanese journalist and author.
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Kengo Kuma
- Occupations
- university teacherarchitect
- Biography
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Kengo Kuma is a Japanese architect and emeritus professor in the Department of Architecture (Graduate School of Engineering) at the University of Tokyo. Frequently compared to contemporaries Shigeru Ban and Kazuyo Sejima, Kuma is also noted for his prolific writings. He is the designer of the Japan National Stadium in Tokyo, which was built for the 2020 Summer Olympics. He is married to architect Satoko Shinohara, and they have one son, Taichi, also an architect. He is an advisor for Kitakyushu-city in Japan.
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Shūsaku Endō
- Occupations
- biographerplaywrightscreenwriterwriteruniversity teacher
- Biography
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Shūsaku Endō was a Japanese author who wrote from the perspective of a Japanese Catholic. Internationally, he is known for his 1966 historical fiction novel Silence, which was adapted into a 2016 film of the same name by director Martin Scorsese. He was the laureate of several prestigious literary accolades, including the Akutagawa Prize and the Order of Culture, and was inducted into the Roman Catholic Order of St. Sylvester by Pope Paul VI.
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Yoshizumi Ishihara
- Occupations
- politicianweather presentertarentoactor
- Biography
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Yoshizumi Ishihara is a Japanese weather presenter, TV personality, and actor. Born in Zushi, Kanagawa, he is the second son of Tokyo governor Shintaro Ishihara, and brother of politicians Nobuteru Ishihara and Hirotaka Ishihara.
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Yoshinori Muto
- Occupations
- association football player
- Biography
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Yoshinori Muto is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a forward or a winger for Vissel Kobe.
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Ichikawa En'ō II
- Occupations
- impresariokabuki actoractor
- Biography
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Masahiko Kinoshi, better known by the stage name Ichikawa Ennosuke III (三代目 市川 猿之助, Sandaime Ichikawa Ennosuke), was a Japanese kabuki actor, famous for his love of keren (stage tricks). He was considered the king of chūnori; he flew out over the audience, held aloft on strings, over 5000 times.
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Nobuteru Ishihara
- Occupations
- journalistpolitician
- Biography
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Nobuteru Ishihara is a Japanese politician, who served as the Secretary-General of the Liberal Democratic Party from 2010 to 2012. Previously, he also served in the House of Representatives as representative from 1990 to 2021.
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Katsuyuki Kawai
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Katsuyuki Kawai is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature). A native of Hiroshima, Hiroshima and graduate of Keio University, he ran unsuccessfully for the House of Representatives in 1993 after serving in the assembly of Hiroshima Prefecture. He ran again three years later and was elected for the first time, but lost the seat in 2000. He was re-elected in 2003. He was the Minister of Justice from 11 September 2019 to 31 October 2019. He stepped down as the Minister of Justice after reports of overpaying workers of Anri Kawai's political campaign beyond the legal limit.
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Rei Kawakubo
- Occupations
- businesspersondesignerpersonal stylist
- Biography
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Rei Kawakubo is a Japanese fashion designer based in Tokyo and Paris. She is the founder of Comme des Garçons and Dover Street Market. In recognition of the notable design contributions of Kawakubo, an exhibition of her designs entitled Rei Kawakubo/Comme des Garçons, Art of the In-Between opened on 5 May 2017 at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in Manhattan, modeled by Rihanna.
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Yoshiko Sakurai
- Occupations
- journalist
- Biography
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Yoshiko Sakurai is a Japanese journalist, TV presenter, writer, and political activist. She is also president of the Japan Institute for National Fundamentals, established in 2007.
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Akira Amari
- Occupations
- representative directorpolitician
- Biography
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Akira Amari is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and a former member of the lower house.
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Lee Jae-yong
- Occupations
- businesspersonindustrialist
- Biography
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Lee Jae-yong is a South Korean business executive who has served as the executive chairman of Samsung Electronics since October 2022. He is the only son of Lee Kun-hee and Hong Ra-hee.
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Ichizō Kobayashi
- Occupations
- businesspersonpolitician
- Biography
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Ichizō Kobayashi, occasionally referred to by his pseudonym Itsuō (逸翁), was a Japanese industrialist and politician. He is best known as the founder of Hankyu Railway, the Takarazuka Revue, and Toho. He served as Minister of Commerce and Industry between 1940-1941.
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Iehiro Tokugawa
- Occupations
- economistcriticpolitical scientistwriterbusinessperson
- Biography
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Iehiro Tokugawa is a Japanese author and translator who is the 19th generation and current head of the main House of Tokugawa. His great-great-grandfather was the famed Matsudaira Katamori of Aizu, and his maternal great-great-grandfather was Tokugawa Iesato, the sixteenth head of the House of Tokugawa.
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Yoshihiko Hosoda
- Occupations
- modelactor
- Biography
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Yoshihiko Hosoda is a Japanese actor from Tokyo who has starred the movies Detroit Metal City (2008) and Ooku (2010). He was once affiliated to the talent agency Stardust Promotion under his stage name Yoshihiko Hosoda (though his first name is written in hiragana Hosoda Yoshihiko (細田 よしひこ)), but left in October 2013. He is currently affiliated with Alpha Agency under his real name.
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Ryo Fukawa
- Occupations
- composeractorowarai tarentodisc jockeytarento
- Biography
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Ryō Fukawa, also known as ROCKETMAN, is a Japanese comedian and musician. He belongs to Watanabe Entertainment. On television he generally takes minor roles and is characterized by his childlike temperament and boyish looks. He is also a member of the owarai group No Plan.
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Kazuyo Katsuma
- Occupations
- businesspersonaccountantblogger
- Biography
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Kazuyo Katsuma is a Japanese businesswoman and author of several best selling books, with sales numbers in the tens of millions. She writes mostly about self management, work–life balance, gender equality and how women can become more successful. She concentrates especially on optimizing thought processes and increasing productivity.
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Isao Tomita
- Enrolled in Keio University
- Studied in 1955
- Occupations
- film score composercomposerkeyboardistrecording artist
- Biography
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Isao Tomita, often known simply as Tomita, was a Japanese composer, regarded as one of the pioneers of electronic music and space music, and as one of the most famous producers of analog synthesizer arrangements. In addition to creating note-by-note realizations, Tomita made extensive use of the sound-design capabilities of his instrument, using synthesizers to create new sounds to accompany and enhance his electronic realizations of acoustic instruments. He also made effective use of analog music sequencers and the Mellotron, and featured futuristic science-fiction themes, while laying the foundations for synth-pop music and trance-like rhythms. Many of his albums are electronic versions and adaptations of familiar classical music pieces. He received four Grammy Award nominations for his 1974 album based on music by Claude Debussy, Snowflakes Are Dancing.
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Junko Abe
- Occupations
- tarentomodelfashion modelactor
- Biography
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Junko Abe formerly known by her stage name Jun Yoshinaga (吉永淳, Yoshinaga Jun), is a Japanese actress and model.
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Wataru Takeshita
- Occupations
- journalistpolitician
- Biography
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Wataru Takeshita was a Japanese politician who served in the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature) as a member of the Liberal Democratic Party. A native of Kakeya, Shimane and graduate of Keio University he was elected for the first time in 2000. His elder brother was former prime minister Noboru Takeshita.
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Masazumi Gotoda
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Masazumi Gotoda is a Japanese politician and the current governor of Tokushima Prefecture. A native of Oe District, Tokushima and graduate of Keio University, he worked at Mitsubishi Corporation from 1993 to 1998. Gotoda was a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet, for the Liberal Democratic Party, between 2000 and 2023. In 2023 he was elected as governor of Tokushima, defeating three other candidates including 5-term incumbent Kamon Iizumi.
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Tsunekazu Takeda
- Occupations
- businesspersonequestrian
- Biography
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Tsunekazu Takeda is a Japanese businessman, retired Olympic equestrian and the former President of the Japanese Olympic Committee, stepping down on 21 March 2019 amidst a corruption investigation. He also resigned as a member of the International Olympic Committee.
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Tatsuo Fukuda
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Tatsuo Fukuda is a Japanese politician who currently serves as chairman of the General Council of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party. He also serves as a member of the House of Representatives for the Liberal Democratic Party. He is the son of former Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda and grandson of former Prime Minister Takeo Fukuda.
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Joi Ito
- Occupations
- engineerventure capitalistentrepreneurbloggeractivist
- Biography
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Joichi "Joi" Ito is a Japanese entrepreneur and venture capitalist. He is the president of Chiba Institute of Technology. He is a former director of the MIT Media Lab, former professor of the practice of media arts and sciences at MIT, and a former visiting professor of practice at Harvard Law School. Ito has received recognition for his role as an entrepreneur focused on Internet and technology companies and has founded, among other companies, PSINet Japan, Digital Garage, and Infoseek Japan. Ito is a general partner of Neoteny Labs, and former board member of Creative Commons (where he was CEO), The Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC), The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, The New York Times Company, John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, The Mozilla Foundation, The Open Source Initiative, and Sony Corporation. Ito wrote a monthly column in the Ideas section of Wired.
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Ryota Yamagata
- Occupations
- athletics competitorsprinter
- Biography
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Ryota Yamagata is a Japanese sprinter holding the Japanese record of 9.95 in the 100m.
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Gaku Hashimoto
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Gaku Hashimoto is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party and a former member of the House of Representatives in the Diet. He represented the 4th District of Okayama prefecture.
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Hirotaka Ishihara
- Occupations
- cashierpolitician
- Biography
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Hirotaka Ishihara is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature). A native of Kanagawa Prefecture and graduate of Keio University, he was elected to the House of Representatives for the first time in 2005 after an unsuccessful run in 2003. He is the son of Shintaro Ishihara, former governor of Tokyo, and like his father affiliated to the revisionist lobby Nippon Kaigi.
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Toshio Suzuki
- Occupations
- animatorseiyūfilm producerproducer
- Biography
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Toshio Suzuki is a Japanese film producer. He is a founder, chairman, and former president of Studio Ghibli.
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Yukio Ozaki
- Occupations
- journalistpolitician
- Biography
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Yukio Ozaki was a Japanese politician of liberal signature, born in modern-day Sagamihara, Kanagawa. Ozaki served in the House of Representatives of the Japanese Diet for 63 years (1890–1953). He is still revered in Japan as the "God of constitutional politics" and the "father of the Japanese Constitution".
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Yorihisa Matsuno
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Yorihisa Matsuno is a former Japanese politician. He was a member of the Japan Restoration Association (JRA), and a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature). On October 3, 2012, he was selected as the parliamentary leader of the JRA and held this position until the party dissolved in September 2014. He is the member for the Kumamoto No. 1 seat and has been elected four times.
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Tetsuya Bessho
- Occupations
- actorseiyū
- Biography
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Tetsuya Bessho is a Japanese actor and radio presenter. Since 2014, he has hosted the Miss International pageant.
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Reika Saiki
- Occupations
- bodybuilderJapanese idolprofessional wrestlersinger
- Biography
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Reika Saiki is a Japanese actress and former bodybuilder, singer, idol and professional wrestler.
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Kyōko Uchida
- Occupations
- announcertarento
- Biography
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Kyoko Uchida is a Germany born-Japanese free announcer. She is a former announcer for Fuji Television. Her real name is Kyoko Kimoto (木本 恭子, Kimoto Kyoko) née Uchida (内田). She is nicknamed Ucchī (ウッチー). She grew up in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture and Chicago. She graduated from Keio University College of Commerce.
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Misako Konno
- Occupations
- actorfilm actor
- Biography
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Misako Konno, born Misako Shinoda (篠田 美佐子 Shinoda Misako, born September 8, 1960) is a Japanese actress and essayist.
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Sakutarō Hagiwara
- Occupations
- essayistwriterwaka poetcomposernovelist
- Biography
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Sakutarō Hagiwara was a Japanese writer of free verse, active in the Taishō and early Shōwa periods of Japan. He liberated Japanese free verse from the grip of traditional rules, and he is considered the "father of modern colloquial poetry in Japan". He published many volumes of essays, literary and cultural criticism, and aphorisms over his long career. His unique style of verse expressed his doubts about existence, and his fears, ennui, and anger through the use of dark images and unambiguous wording. He died from pneumonia aged 55.
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Hirofumi Nakasone
- Occupations
- diplomatpolitician
- Biography
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Hirofumi Nakasone is a Japanese politician from Takasaki, Gunma, who served as Minister for Foreign Affairs from September 2008 to September 2009. He was Minister of Education under Prime Minister Yoshirō Mori. He is former Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone's son.
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Yasutaka Nakasone
- Enrolled in Keio University
- Studied law school
- Occupations
- politiciansecretarysalaryman
- Biography
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Yasutaka Nakasone is a Japanese politician serving as a member of the House of Representatives since 2017. He is the son of Hirofumi Nakasone and the grandson of Yasuhiro Nakasone.
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Frankie Sakai
- Occupations
- actorjazz musiciantelevision presentercomediandrummer
- Biography
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Frankie Sakai was a Japanese comedian, actor, and musician.
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Akihisa Nagashima
- Occupations
- secretarypolitician
- Biography
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Akihisa Nagashima is a member of the House of Representatives of Japan as well as a visiting professor at Chuo University's Graduate School of Public Studies. He served as the Parliamentary Vice Minister of Defense in the Kan Cabinet.
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Motohiro Ōno
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Motohiro Ōno is a Japanese politician and the current governor of Saitama Prefecture in Japan. He assumed office replacing Kiyoshi Ueda in the August 2019 gubernatorial elections.
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Hidenao Nakagawa
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Hidenao Nakagawa is a former Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, who served as a member of the House of Representatives of the Diet (parliament).
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Ichirō Fujiyama
- Occupations
- composermusic arrangerconductorsinger
- Biography
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Ichirō Fujiyama, born Takeo Masunaga (増永 丈夫, Masunaga Takeo), was a Japanese singer and composer, known for his contribution to Japanese popular music called ryūkōka by his Western classical music skills. He was born in Chūō, Tokyo, and graduated from the Tokyo Music School. Although he was regarded as a tenor singer in Japanese popular music, he was originally a classical baritone singer. He also acted in various films, and was a close friend of Minoru Matsuya (1910–1995). His workroom has been reproduced inside the "NHK museum of broadcasting" as an exhibit.
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Naoki Tanaka
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Naoki Tanaka is a former Japanese politician of the Democratic Party of Japan, who served as a member of the House of Councillors in the Diet (national legislature), from Niigata Prefectural electorate. He is a native of Kanazawa, Ishikawa and a graduate of Keio University.
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Shōji Kawamori
- Occupations
- mechanical designerfilm directorscreenwriter
- Biography
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Shōji Kawamori is a Japanese animation creator and producer, screenwriter, visual artist, and mecha designer. He is best known for creating the Macross mecha animated franchise and the Diaclone toyline, which were in turn the basis for the Robotech and Transformers franchises, respectively. He is also known for creating The Vision of Escaflowne anime series. He pioneered several innovative concepts in his works, such as transforming mecha (including the VF-1 Valkyrie in Macross and Optimus Prime in Transformers) and virtual idols (including Lynn Minmay and Sharon Apple in the Macross franchise). His work has had a significant impact on popular culture, both in Japan and internationally.
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Keizo Takemi
- Occupations
- politicianpolitical scientist
- Biography
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Keizo Takemi is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party who serves as a member of the House of Councillors of Japan.
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Chiaki Mukai
- Occupations
- astronautsurgeonphysician
- Biography
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Chiaki Mukai is a Japanese physician and JAXA astronaut. She was the first Japanese woman in space, the first Japanese citizen to have two spaceflights, and the first Asian woman in space. Both were Space Shuttle missions; her first was STS-65 aboard Space Shuttle Columbia in July 1994, which was a Spacelab mission. Her second spaceflight was STS-95 aboard Space Shuttle Discovery in 1998. In total she has spent 23 days in space.
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Hiroshi Akutagawa
- Occupations
- actorimpresario
- Biography
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Hiroshi Akutagawa was a Japanese stage and film actor and director. In his 30 years spanning career, he appeared in numerous stage productions and films by directors such as Shirō Toyoda, Tadashi Imai, Heinosuke Gosho, Akira Kurosawa and Nagisa Ōshima.
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Banri Kaieda
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Banri Kaieda is a Japanese politician who is serving as the Vice Speaker of the House of Representatives of Japan since 2021. A member of the House of Representatives of Japan, he also served as the President of the Democratic Party of Japan between 2012 and 2014. He is a former minister in the Kan cabinet.
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Hayata Ito
- Occupations
- baseball player
- Biography
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Hayata Ito is a Japanese professional baseball outfielder. He has played in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Hanshin Tigers.
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Takeo Kawamura
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Takeo Kawamura is a Japanese politician from the Liberal Democratic Party, who served as Chief Cabinet Secretary from 2008 to 2009, and a member of the House of Representatives from 1990 to 2021, representing the Yamaguchi 3rd district.
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Hiroshi Aramata
- Occupations
- translatornovelisttarento
- Biography
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Hiroshi Aramata is a Japanese author, polymath, critic, translator and specialist in natural history, iconography and cartography. His most popular novel was Teito Monogatari (Tale of the Capitol), which has sold over 5 million copies in Japan alone.
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Masamune Wada
- Occupations
- announcerpolitician
- Biography
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Masamune Wada is a Japanese politician serving his first term in the House of Councillors representing the Miyagi at-large district. He was elected to the House in the July 2013 as a member of Your Party. Upon the party's dissolution in November 2014 he joined the Party for Future Generations. He was promoted to Secretary-General of the party in September 2015; the party changed its name to Party for Japanese Kokoro in December 2015. In November 2016 he left the party and joined the Liberal Democratic Party's parliamentary group, but did not officially join the LDP. He joined the LDP on September 24, 2017, and was elected as a candidate from the proportional district in the 25th ordinary election for the House of Councillors held in July 2019.
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Ted Nelson
- Occupations
- professorsociologistphilosopher
- Biography
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Theodor Holm Nelson is an American pioneer of information technology, philosopher, and sociologist. He coined the terms hypertext and hypermedia in 1963 and published them in 1965. According to a 1997 Forbes profile, Nelson "sees himself as a literary romantic, like a Cyrano de Bergerac, or 'the Orson Welles of software'."
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Hiroko Nakamura
- Occupations
- composerpianistessayist
- Biography
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Hiroko Nakamura was a Japanese pianist.
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Takeo Hiranuma
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Takeo Hiranuma is a former Japanese politician who served as a member of the House of Representatives. He is a member of the Liberal Democratic Party and is former chairperson of the Party for Future Generations.
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Motoshi Fujita
- Occupations
- baseball player
- Biography
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Motoshi Fujita (藤田 元司, Fujita Motoshi, (August 7, 1931 – February 9, 2006) was a Japanese professional baseball pitcher and manager. He spent his entire career with the Yomiuri Giants of Nippon Professional Baseball, winning two Japan Series titles as a player and two more as manager.
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Masajuro Shiokawa
- Occupations
- politicianeconomist
- Biography
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Masajuro Shiokawa was a Japanese economist and politician.
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Tokihiro Nakamura
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Tokihiro Nakamura is a Japanese politician and the current governor of Ehime Prefecture, located in the Shikoku region of Japan. He succeeded Moriyuki Kato in the 2010 Ehime gubernatorial election. Nakamura has previously served as the mayor of Matsuyama, the largest city in Ehime and Shikoku, from 1999 to 2010. He has also represented Ehime in the national House of Representatives from 1993 to 1996 and before that in the Ehime Prefectural Assembly from 1987 to 1990.
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Daijirō Hashimoto
- Occupations
- journalistpolitician
- Biography
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Daijiro Hashimoto is a politically independent former governor of the Kōchi Prefecture who served from 1991 to 2007, with an intermediate resignation in 2004 to test support after a scandal alleging transactions between his campaign aide and a construction company in 1991. He is also the host of "Wide Scramble", a morning show on TV Asahi. His policies included encouraging a more open government and the implementation of a green tax to help preserve forests. He is considered to be a reformer. Hashimoto is the brother of the former Japanese Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto.
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Akihiko Hoshide
- Occupations
- astronaut
- Biography
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Akihiko Hoshide is a Japanese engineer, JAXA astronaut, and former commander of the International Space Station. On August 30, 2012, Hoshide became the third Japanese astronaut to walk in space.
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Taku Ōtsuka
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Taku Otsuka is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, a member of the House of Representatives in the National Diet (national legislature of Japan). He is affiliated to the revisionist lobby Nippon Kaigi.
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Kōhei Murakami
- Occupations
- actorseiyū
- Biography
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Kohei Murakami is a Japanese actor from Tokyo. He graduated from Keio University's business school. He is known for his portrayal of Masato Kusaka/Kamen Rider Kaixa in Kamen Rider 555 and as Yuji Nakajo/Hikomaro/Giza/Hikaru in Cutie Honey: The Live. He also had a regular role as Kent Kiba/Dimensional Investigator Kent in Jikuu Keisatsu Wecker D-02. He also has a role as SpaMurasaki on Nippon Television's parodic Bihada Sentai Sparanger which looks at various onsen throughout Japan. Not to be confused with the Kohei Murakami who played Yamada Hanatarou in the Rock Musical Bleach series.
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Tadamori Oshima
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Tadamori Ōshima is a former Japanese politician who served as the Speaker of the House of Representatives of Japan from 2015 to 2021. A member of the Liberal Democratic Party, he previously served as the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, and the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology. He is affiliated to the revisionist lobby Nippon Kaigi.
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Eiji Okada
- Occupations
- film editorfilm actoractor
- Biography
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Eiji Okada was a Japanese film actor from Chōshi, Chiba. Okada served in the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II and was a miner and traveling salesman before becoming an actor.
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Akira Nagatsuma
- Occupations
- journalistpolitician
- Biography
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Akira Nagatsuma is a Japanese politician of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDP), a member of House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature). Nagatsuma is currently the deputy leader and the head of the Tokyo chapter of the CDP. He had served as the Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare in the Hatoyama and Kan administration. He came to prominence when he reported missing records of public pension plans. A native of Nerima, Tokyo and graduate of Keio University, he was elected for the first time in 2000 after unsuccessful runs in 1995 and 1996.
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Hajime Funada
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Hajime Funada is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, who serve as a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature) and a former Minister of Economic Planning. A native of Utsunomiya, Tochigi he attended Keio University both as undergraduate and graduate. He was elected to the House of Representatives for the first time in 1979.
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Akira Senju
- Occupations
- composerDJ producermusic arrangerconductor
- Biography
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Akira Senju is a Japanese composer, arranger and conductor.
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Haruo Satō
- Occupations
- writerpoetnovelistwaka poet
- Biography
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Haruo Sato was a Japanese novelist and poet active during the Taishō and Shōwa periods of Japan. His works are known for their explorations of melancholy. He won the 4th Yomiuri Prize.
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Keishi Ōtomo
- Occupations
- impresarioscreenwriterfilm directortelevision director
- Biography
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Keishi Ōtomo is a Japanese film director and screenwriter. He is known for psychological thrillers and historical dramas, as well as adapting a variety of manga and novels to film, including The Vulture (2009), Ryōmaden (2010), and the Rurouni Kenshin film series. Ōtomo’s awards include the Audience Award at the 18th Fantasia International Film Festival in Montreal (2014), the Popularity Award at the 38th Japanese Academy Awards (2014), and Best Director at the 31st Japanese Critics Award (2022).
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Yūya Gunji
- Occupations
- baseball player
- Biography
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Yūya Gunji is a Japanese professional baseball catcher, infielder and outfielder for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). He has previously played in NPB for the Chunichi Dragons.
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Sanzo Nosaka
- Occupations
- politiciantrade unionistsocial activistediting staff
- Biography
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Sanzō Nosaka was a Japanese writer, editor, labor organizer, communist agent, politician, and university professor and a founder of the Japanese Communist Party (JCP). He was the son of a wealthy Japanese merchant, and attended Keio University. While in university, Nosaka became interested in social movements, and joined a moderate labor organization after graduation, working as a research staff member, and as a writer and editor of the organization's magazine. He traveled to Britain in 1919 to study political economy, where he deepened his studies of Marxism and became a confirmed communist. Nosaka was a founding member of the Communist Party of Great Britain, but his activity within British communist circles led to him being deported from Britain in 1921.
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Shigefumi Matsuzawa
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Shigefumi Matsuzawa is a Japanese politician and a current member of the House of Councillors for the Kanagawa at-large district in the Diet of Japan.
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Daisuke Yamashita
- Occupations
- baseball player
- Biography
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Daisuke Yamashita was a Japanese Nippon Professional Baseball player.
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Prince Yi Kang
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Yi Kang, Prince Imperial Ui, also known as Prince Uihwa(1891-1900) or King Ui(1900-1955) was the second son of Emperor Gojong of Korea and his concubine, Lady Jang, who was a court lady-in-waiting.
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Jun Etō
- Occupations
- literary criticnovelistuniversity teacherwritercritic
- Biography
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Jun Etō was the pen name of a Japanese literary critic, active in the Shōwa and early Heisei periods of Japan. His real name was Egashira Atsuo (江頭 淳夫).
