100 Notable alumni of
Keio University
Updated:
Keio University is 14th 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
- actormodelfashion model
- Biography
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Fumi Nikaidō is a Japanese actress and fashion model.
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Sho Sakurai
- Occupations
- stage actorfilm actortelevision presentersinger-songwriterrapper
- 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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Takanori Iwata
- Occupations
- danceractortelevision 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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Jun'ichirō Koizumi
- Occupations
- diplomatpoliticianeconomist
- Biography
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Junichiro Koizumi is a Japanese retired politician who was 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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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
- kabuki actoractor
- 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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Mariya Takeuchi
- Occupations
- singer-songwritersingerrecord producercomposerlyricist
- 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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Taro Kono
- Occupations
- university teacherpoliticianinternational forum participant
- Biography
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Taro Kono is a Japanese politician serving as the Minister for Digital Transformation since August 2022. 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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Furukawa Yuki
- Occupations
- actorfilm actormodel
- Biography
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Yuki Furukawa is a Japanese actor, supermodel, guitarist and break dancer. 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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Hidetaka Miyazaki
- Enrolled in Keio University
- Studied social science
- Occupations
- video game writercreative directorvideo game designerscreenwriterrepresentative director
- Biography
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Hidetaka Miyazaki is a Japanese creative director, designer, writer, and president of the video game company 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 games he has directed include Demon's Souls, Bloodborne, Sekiro, and Elden Ring, which have all received critical acclaim.
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Yūjirō Ishihara
- Occupations
- modeltarentotelevision produceractorseiyū
- Biography
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Yūjirō Ishihara was a Japanese actor and singer born in Kobe. His elder brother was Shintaro Ishihara, an author, politician, and the Governor of Tokyo between 1999 and 2012. Yujiro's film debut was the 1956 film Season of the Sun, based on a novel written by his brother. He was beloved by many fans as a representative youth star in the films of postwar Japan and subsequently as a macho movie hero. He was extravagantly mourned following his early death from liver cancer.
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Akio Toyoda
- Occupations
- industrialistbusiness executiveracing automobile driverentrepreneur
- 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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Wakana Aoi
- Occupations
- child actoractorseiyū
- 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, Warotenka, which aired from October 2017 to March 2018.
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Miwa
- Occupations
- singer-songwritercomposersingeractorrecording artist
- 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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Yūzō Kayama
- Occupations
- singer-songwritercomposerpaintertarentoactor
- Biography
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Yūzō Kayama is a Japanese popular musician, singer-songwriter and actor.
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Naoko Takeuchi
- Occupations
- comics artistpharmacistlyricistmangakaillustrator
- 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.
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Inukai Tsuyoshi
- Occupations
- politicianjournalist
- 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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Shigeru Ishiba
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Shigeru Ishiba is a Japanese politician. Ishiba is a member of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), and is the leader of the Suigetsukai party faction, and a member of the Heisei Kenkyūkai faction, which was then led by Fukushiro Nukaga, until 2011.
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Yoshinobu Takahashi
- Occupations
- baseball player
- 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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Airi Suzuki
- Occupations
- modelchild actorsingeractor
- 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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Mina Fujii
- Occupations
- stage actortelevision actorfilm 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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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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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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Ryutaro Hashimoto
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Ryutaro Hashimoto was a Japanese politician who served as the Prime Minister of Japan from 1996 to 1998. He was the leader of one of the largest factions within the ruling LDP through most of the 1990s and remained a powerful back-room player in Japanese politics until scandal forced him to resign his leadership position in 2004. Disgraced, he chose not to stand in the general election of 2005, and effectively retired from politics.
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Yohji Yamamoto
- Enrolled in Keio University
- In 1966 graduated with Licentiate in law
- Occupations
- designercostume designerdressmakerartist
- 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
- architectuniversity teacher
- 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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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 is currently serving as Minister of State in the Kishida Cabinet.
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Shūsaku Endō
- Occupations
- university teacherwriterscreenwriterplaywrightbiographer
- Biography
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Shūsaku Endō was a Japanese author who wrote from the rare 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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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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Yoshizumi Ishihara
- Occupations
- tarentoweather presenterpoliticianactor
- 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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Ichikawa En'ō II
- Occupations
- actorkabuki actorimpresario
- 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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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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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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Rei Kawakubo
- Occupations
- designerbusinesspersonpersonal 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/Commes 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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Akira Amari
- Occupations
- politicianrepresentative directorinternational forum participant
- Biography
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Akira Amari is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and a member of the lower house representing the Minami Kanto Bloc.
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Nobuteru Ishihara
- Occupations
- politicianjournalist
- Biography
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Nobuteru Ishihara is a Japanese politician who was Secretary General of the Liberal Democratic Party from 2010 to 2012.
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Ichizō Kobayashi
- Occupations
- politicianbusinessperson
- 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
- translatorbusinesspersonwriterpolitical scientistcritic
- Biography
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Iehiro Tokugawa is a Japanese author and translator who is the 19th generation and current head of the main Tokugawa clan. 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 Tokugawa clan.
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Yoshihiko Hosoda
- Occupations
- actormodel
- 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
- actorcomposertarentodisc jockeyowarai tarento
- 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
- accountantbusinesspersonblogger
- 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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Toshio Suzuki
- Occupations
- seiyūanimatorproducerfilm producer
- Biography
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Toshio Suzuki is a Japanese film producer of anime and a long-time colleague of Hayao Miyazaki, as well as a co-founder and the president of Studio Ghibli. Suzuki is renowned as one of Japan's most successful producers after the enormous box office success (in Japan) of many Ghibli films.
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Junko Abe
- Occupations
- fashion modelmodeltarentoactor
- 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
- politicianjournalist
- Biography
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Wataru Takeshita was a Minister for Reconstruction and a Japanese politician serving 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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Isao Tomita
- Enrolled in Keio University
- Studied in 1955
- Occupations
- recording artistkeyboardistcomposerfilm score composer
- 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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Tsunekazu Takeda
- Occupations
- equestrianbusinessperson
- 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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Ryota Yamagata
- Occupations
- sprinterathletics competitor
- 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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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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Joi Ito
- Occupations
- activistentrepreneurinternational forum participantengineerblogger
- 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 general partner of Neoteny Labs, and former board member of Creative Commons (where he served as 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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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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Gaku Hashimoto
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Gaku Hashimoto is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature). He represents the 4th District of Okayama prefecture.
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Yorihisa Matsuno
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Yorihisa Matsuno is a 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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Hirotaka Ishihara
- Occupations
- politiciancashier
- 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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Yukio Ozaki
- Occupations
- politicianjournalist
- 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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Tetsuya Bessho
- Occupations
- seiyūactor
- 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
- Japanese idolbodybuildersingerprofessional wrestler
- Biography
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Reika Saiki is a Japanese actress and former bodybuilder, singer, idol and professional wrestler.
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Misako Konno
- Occupations
- film actoractor
- 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
- novelistcomposerwaka poetwriteressayist
- 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.
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Hirofumi Nakasone
- Occupations
- politiciandiplomat
- 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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Frankie Sakai
- Occupations
- jazz musiciandrummercomedianactor
- Biography
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Frankie Sakai was a Japanese comedian, actor, and musician.
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Hidenao Nakagawa
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Hidenao Nakagawa is a Japanese politician who is a member of the Liberal Democratic Party and the House of Representatives of the Diet (parliament).
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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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Akihisa Nagashima
- Occupations
- politiciansecretary
- 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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Ichirō Fujiyama
- Occupations
- conductormusic arrangercomposersinger
- 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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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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Chiaki Mukai
- Occupations
- physiciansurgeonastronaut
- 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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Shōji Kawamori
- Occupations
- film directormechanical designerscreenwriter
- Biography
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Shōji Kawamori is a Japanese anime creator and producer, screenwriter, visual artist, and mecha designer. He is best known for creating the Macross mecha anime 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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Hiroshi Akutagawa
- Occupations
- impresarioactor
- 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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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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Naoki Tanaka
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Naoki Tanaka is a Japanese politician of the Democratic Party of Japan, a member of the House of Councillors in the Diet (national legislature), from Niigata Prefectural electorate. He is a native of Kanazawa, Ishikawa and graduate of Keio University.
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Hiroshi Aramata
- Occupations
- tarentonovelisttranslator
- 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
- politicianannouncer
- 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
- sociologistprofessorphilosopher
- 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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Banri Kaieda
- Occupations
- international forum participantpolitician
- 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.
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Hiroko Nakamura
- Occupations
- pianistcomposeressayist
- Biography
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Hiroko Nakamura was a Japanese pianist.
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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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Keizo Takemi
- Occupations
- political scientistpolitician
- 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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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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Takeo Hiranuma
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Takeo Hiranuma is a Japanese politician and 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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Masajuro Shiokawa
- Occupations
- economistpolitician
- Biography
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Masajuro Shiokawa was a Japanese economist and politician.
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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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Daijirō Hashimoto
- Occupations
- politicianjournalist
- 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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Kōhei Murakami
- Occupations
- seiyūactor
- 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 Japanese politician 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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Keishi Ōtomo
- Occupations
- film directorscreenwriterimpresariotelevision 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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Haruo Satō
- Occupations
- novelistpoetwriterwaka 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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Akira Senju
- Occupations
- conductormusic arrangerDJ producercomposer
- Biography
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Akira Senju is a Japanese composer, arranger and conductor.
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Eiji Okada
- Occupations
- actorfilm actorfilm editor
- 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
- politicianjournalist
- Biography
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Akira Nagatsuma is a Japanese politician of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, 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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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. A native of Kawasaki, Kanagawa and graduate of Keio University with a bachelor's degree in Political Science, he has previously served in the assembly of Kanagawa Prefecture for two terms from 1987 to 1993, in the House of Representatives in the Diet for three terms from 1993 to 2003 and as the governor of Kanagawa Prefecture from 2003 until 2011. He was elected to the House of Councillors in 2013 as a member of Your Party. Upon the dissolution of Your Party in November 2014 he joined the Party for Future Generations. He left the party in August 2015 and sat as an independent until becoming the leader of Kibō no Tō in May 2018. He resigned as leader on May 28, 2019, and was succeeded by Nariaki Nakayama. He subsequently left the party and joined Nippon Ishin no Kai.
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Sanzo Nosaka
- Occupations
- social activisttrade unionistpoliticianediting staff
- Biography
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Sanzō Nosaka was a Japanese writer, editor, labor organizer, communist agent, politician, and university professor and the founder of the Japanese Communist Party (JCP). He was the son of a wealthy Japanese merchant, and attended the prestigious 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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Hajime Funada
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Hajime Funada is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, 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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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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Jun Etō
- Occupations
- criticwriteruniversity teachernovelistliterary critic
- 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).
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Yoshio Taniguchi
- Enrolled in Keio University
- Studied in 1956-1960
- Occupations
- architect
- Biography
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Yoshio Taniguchi is a Japanese architect best known for his redesign of the Museum of Modern Art in New York City, which was reopened November 20, 2004. Critics have emphasized Taniguchi's fusion of traditional Japanese and Modernist aesthetics. Martin Filler, writing in The New York Times, praised "the luminous physicality and calm aura of Taniguchi's buildings," noting that the architect "sets his work apart by exploiting the traditional Japanese strategies of clarity, understatement, opposition, asymmetry and proportion." "In an era of glamorously expressionist architecture," wrote Time critic Richard Lacayo, MoMA "has opted for a work of what you might call old-fashioned Modernism, clean-lined and rectilinear, a subtly updated version of the glass-and-steel box that the museum first championed in the 1930s, years before that style was adopted for corporate headquarters everywhere."
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Tekkan Yosano
- Occupations
- literary criticpoetwriterwaka poet
- Biography
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Tekkan Yosano was the pen-name of Yosano Hiroshi, a Japanese author and poet active in late Meiji, Taishō, and early Shōwa period Japan. His wife was fellow author Yosano Akiko. Cabinet minister and politician Kaoru Yosano is his grandson.
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Kōji Fukutani
- Occupations
- baseball player
- Biography
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Kōji Fukutani is a professional Japanese baseball player. He plays pitcher for the Chunichi Dragons.
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Prince Yi Kang
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Yi Kang, Prince Imperial Ui, also known as Prince Uihwa, 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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Daisuke Yamashita
- Occupations
- baseball player
- Biography
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Daisuke Yamashita was a Japanese Nippon Professional Baseball player.
