100 Notable alumni of
Waseda University
Updated:
Waseda University is 7th in the world, 2nd in Asia, and 2nd in Japan by aggregated alumni prominence. Below is the list of 100 notable alumni from Waseda 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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Haruki Murakami
- Occupations
- athletics competitoressayisttranslatorscience fiction writerwriter
- Biography
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Haruki Murakami is a Japanese writer. His novels, essays, and short stories have been bestsellers in Japan and internationally, with his work translated into 50 languages and having sold millions of copies outside Japan. He has received numerous awards for his work, including the Gunzo Prize for New Writers, the World Fantasy Award, the Frank O'Connor International Short Story Award, the Franz Kafka Prize, the Jerusalem Prize and the Princess of Asturias Awards.
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Yuzuru Hanyū
- Occupations
- figure skater
- Biography
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Yuzuru Hanyu is a Japanese figure skater and ice show producer. He is a two-time Olympic champion (2014, 2018), a two-time World champion (2014, 2017), a four-time Grand Prix Final champion (2013–2016), the 2020 Four Continents champion, the 2010 World Junior champion, the 2009–10 Junior Grand Prix Final champion, and a six-time Japanese national champion (2012–2015, 2020–2021). He has also medaled at five other World Championships, taking bronze in 2012 and 2021, and silver in 2015, 2016 and 2019, making him the only male single skater along with Jan Hoffmann to win seven world championship medals in the post-World War II era.
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Saori Hayami
- Occupations
- singerradio personalityactortelevision producerseiyū
- Biography
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Saori Hayami is a Japanese voice actress and singer affiliated with I'm Enterprise. As a singer, she is signed to Warner Bros. Home Entertainment. Hayami won the 10th Seiyu Awards for Best Supporting Actress. Her most notable roles include Miyuki Shiba in The Irregular at Magic High School, Yukino Yukinoshita in My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong, As I Expected, Leona in Dragon Quest: The Adventure of Dai, Himawari Uzumaki in Boruto: Naruto Next Generations, Shinobu Kochō in Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba, Ryuu Lion in Is It Wrong to Try to Pick Up Girls in a Dungeon?, Yor Forger in Spy × Family, Yamato in One Piece, Yumeko Jabami in Kakegurui, Ruby Rose in RWBY: Ice Queendom, Pramanix in Arknights and Kamisato Ayaka in Genshin Impact.
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Fumio Kishida
- Enrolled in Waseda University
- In 1982 studied jurisprudence
- Occupations
- politiciandiplomat
- Biography
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Fumio Kishida is a Japanese politician who has served as Prime Minister of Japan and President of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) since 2021. A member of the House of Representatives, he previously served as Minister for Foreign Affairs from 2012 to 2017 and as acting Minister of Defense in 2017. From 2017 to 2020, he also chaired the LDP Policy Research Council.
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Ryōko Hirosue
- Occupations
- child actoractorsinger
- Biography
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Ryōko Hirosue is a Japanese actress and singer, best known to international audiences for her roles in the Luc Besson-produced Wasabi and the Academy Award-winning Japanese film Departures. She also starred in the 2008 comedy series Yasuko to Kenji.
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Zhou Enlai
- Occupations
- ministerpoliticianforeign minister
- Biography
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Zhou Enlai was a Chinese statesman, diplomat, and revolutionary who served as the first Premier of the People's Republic of China from September 1954 until his death in January 1976. Zhou served under Chairman Mao Zedong and aided the Communist Party in rising to power, later helping consolidate its control, form its foreign policy, and develop the Chinese economy.
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Tasuku Emoto
- Occupations
- actor
- Biography
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Tasuku Emoto is a Japanese actor represented by Alpha Agency. His father is actor Akira Emoto, his mother is actress Kazue Tsunogae, his brother is actor Tokio Emoto, and his wife is actress Sakura Ando.
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Nao Tōyama
- Occupations
- singerseiyūtelevision producer
- Biography
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Nao Tōyama is a Japanese voice actress and singer affiliated with the agency Intention. Before joining Intention, she was affiliated with Arts Vision. She debuted as a voice actress in 2010, and played her first leading role as Kanon Nakagawa in The World God Only Knows. She is also known for her roles as Chitoge Kirisaki in Nisekoi, Yui Yuigahama in My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong, As I Expected, Tomoe Koga in Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai, Karen Kujō in Kin-iro Mosaic, Ruka Sarashina in Rent-A-Girlfriend and Rin Shima in Laid-Back Camp. In 2019, she won the Best Supporting Actress Award with Yū Serizawa and the Game Award in the 13th Seiyu Awards.
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Masato Sakai
- Occupations
- seiyūactor
- Biography
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Masato Sakai is a Japanese actor. Since the success of Naoki Hanzawa (2013), he has become one of the most famous actors in Japan.
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Chiune Sugihara
- Enrolled in Waseda University
- In 1918 studied English
- Occupations
- consuldiplomat
- Biography
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Chiune Sugihara was a Japanese diplomat who served as vice-consul for the Japanese Empire in Kaunas, Lithuania. During the Second World War, Sugihara helped thousands of Jews flee Europe by issuing transit visas to them so that they could travel through Japanese territory, risking his job and the lives of his family. The fleeing Jews were refugees from German-occupied Western Poland and Soviet-occupied Eastern Poland, as well as residents of Lithuania. In 1985, the State of Israel honored Sugihara as one of the Righteous Among the Nations for his actions. He is the only Japanese national to have been so honored. In Lithuania, 2020 was "The Year of Chiune Sugihara". It has been estimated as many as 100,000 people alive today are the descendants of the recipients of Sugihara visas.
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Ai Fukuhara
- Occupations
- table tennis player
- Biography
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Ai Fukuhara is a retired Japanese table tennis player and Olympic medalist, winning silver at the 2012 Summer Olympics and bronze at the 2016 Summer Olympics with the Japanese women's team. She is sponsored by All Nippon Airways.
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Hirokazu Koreeda
- Occupations
- film editordirectorscreenwriterfilm screenwriterfilm producer
- Biography
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Hirokazu Kore-eda is a Japanese film director, producer, screenwriter, and editor. He began his career in television and has since directed more than a dozen feature films, including Nobody Knows (2004), Still Walking (2008), and After the Storm (2016). He won the Jury Prize at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival for Like Father, Like Son and won the Palme d'Or at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival for Shoplifters.
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Sayuri Yoshinaga
- Occupations
- child actoractorsinger
- Biography
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Sayuri Yoshinaga is a Japanese actress and activist. She has won four Japan Academy Best Actress awards, more than any other actress, and has been called "one of the foremost stars in the postwar world of film."
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Tomomi Inada
- Occupations
- politiciantax advisorlawyer
- Biography
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Tomomi Inada is a Japanese lawyer and politician serving as a member of the Japanese House of Representatives, representing the 1st Fukui Prefecture since September 2005. She previously served as the 14th Japanese Minister of Defense from August 2016 to July 2017, resigning in response to a cover up scandal within the Japanese Ministry of Defense. She spent time as the Chairwoman of the Policy Research Council of the Liberal Democratic Party in her fourth term as a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature). She is a native of Fukui Prefecture.
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Tetsuya Komuro
- Occupations
- singer-songwritercomposermusic arrangerkeyboardistrecord producer
- Biography
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Tetsuya Komuro is a Japanese musician, songwriter and record producer. He is recognized as the most successful producer in Japanese music history and has introduced contemporary electronic dance music to the Japanese mainstream. He was also a former owner of the disco Velfarre located in Roppongi, Tokyo.
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Yuki Saito
- Occupations
- baseball player
- Biography
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Yuki Saito is a Japanese former professional baseball pitcher. He played 11 seasons in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters.
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Tōru Hashimoto
- Occupations
- lawyertarentointernational forum participantpolitician
- Biography
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Tōru Hashimoto is a Japanese TV personality, politician and lawyer. He is a former governor of Osaka Prefecture and mayor of City of Osaka. He is a founder of Nippon Ishin no Kai and the Osaka Restoration Association. He is one of Japan's leading right-wing conservative-populist politicians.
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Ayumu Goromaru
- Occupations
- rugby union player
- Biography
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Ayumu Goromaru is a former Japanese rugby union player who played at fullback for Yamaha Júbilo as well as the Japan national rugby union team.
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Maki Okazoe
- Occupations
- television presentermodel
- Biography
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Maki Okazoe is a Japanese TV announcer, news presenter and tarento. She is represented by her agency cent. Force.
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Masumi Kuwata
- Occupations
- professional baseball playerbaseball playerMajor League Baseball playersbaseball commentatorBaseball Critics
- Biography
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Masumi Kuwata is a former Japanese right-handed pitcher who played the bulk of his career with the Yomiuri Giants of Nippon Professional Baseball. He pitched 21 seasons with the Giants, beginning in 1986. Near the end of his career, he played part of one season with the Pittsburgh Pirates of Major League Baseball. He is the son of professional golfer Izumi Kuwata.
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Edogawa Ranpo
- Occupations
- writernovelistscreenwriterliterary criticscience fiction writer
- Biography
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Tarō Hirai, better known by the pen name Edogawa Ranpo (江戸川 乱歩), was a Japanese author and critic who played a major role in the development of Japanese mystery and thriller fiction. Many of his novels involve the detective hero Kogoro Akechi, who in later books was the leader of a group of boy detectives known as the "Boy Detectives Club" (少年探偵団, Shōnen tantei dan).
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Sun Myung Moon
- Occupations
- religious leaderbusinesspersonwriter
- Biography
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Sun Myung Moon was a Korean religious leader, also known for his business ventures and support for conservative political causes. A messiah claimant, he was the founder of the Unification Church, whose members consider him and his wife Hak Ja Han to be their "True Parents", and of its widely noted "Blessing" or mass wedding ceremonies. The author of the Unification Church's religious scripture, the Divine Principle, he was an anti-communist and an advocate for Korean reunification, for which he was recognized by the governments of both North and South Korea. Businesses he promoted included News World Communications, an international news media corporation known for its American subsidiary The Washington Times, and Tongil Group, a South Korean business group (chaebol), as well as other related organizations.
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Lee Kun-hee
- Occupations
- businesspersonsports officialindustrialistentrepreneur
- Biography
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Lee Kun-hee was a South Korean business magnate who served as the chairman of the Samsung Group from 1987 to 2008, and again from 2010 until his death in 2020. He is also credited with the transformation of Samsung to one of the world's largest business entities that engages in semiconductors, smartphones, electronics, shipbuilding, construction, and other businesses. Since Lee Kun-hee became the chairman of Samsung, the company became the world's largest manufacturer of smartphones, memory chips, and appliances. He was the third son of Samsung founder Lee Byung-chul. With an estimated net worth of US$21 billion at the time of his death, he was the richest person in South Korea, a position that he had held since 2007.
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Tomokazu Harimoto
- Occupations
- table tennis player
- Biography
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Tomokazu Harimoto is a Japanese professional table tennis player who is currently world rank number 4 in ITTF. In 2016, he won the world junior singles and team title at the 2016 World Junior Table Tennis Championships for Japan.
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Megumi Kaneko
- Occupations
- politiciantarento
- Biography
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Megumi Kaneko is a Japanese politician. She served as a member of the House of Representatives for the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) between 2012 and 2017, when she represented the 4th District of Niigata prefecture. She was defeated in the 2017 general election.
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Takashi Toritani
- Occupations
- baseball player
- Biography
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Takashi Toritani is a Japanese former professional baseball player, baseball commentator, baseball critic, coach.
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Yoko Kanno
- Occupations
- composerfilm score composermusic arrangerDJ producerkeyboardist
- Biography
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Yoko Kanno is a Japanese composer, arranger and music producer of soundtracks for anime series, video games, television dramas and movies. She has written scores for Cowboy Bebop, Terror in Resonance, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex, Wolf's Rain, Turn A Gundam and Darker than Black. Kanno is a keyboardist and the frontwoman for Seatbelts, who perform many of her compositions.
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Mas Oyama
- Occupations
- karatekamixed martial arts fighterwriter
- Biography
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Masutatsu Ōyama, more commonly known as Mas Oyama, was a South Korean karate master who founded Kyokushin Karate, considered the first and most influential style of full contact karate. Oyama was an ethnic Korean; he was born Choi Yeong-eui (Korean: 최영의; Hanja: 崔永宜) and spent most of his life in Japan. He acquired Japanese citizenship in 1968.
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Yasujirō Ozu
- Occupations
- production designerfilm directorscreenwriter
- Biography
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Yasujirō Ozu was a Japanese filmmaker. He began his career during the era of silent films, and his last films were made in colour in the early 1960s. Ozu first made a number of short comedies, before turning to more serious themes in the 1930s. The most prominent themes of Ozu's work are family and marriage, and especially the relationships between generations. His most widely beloved films include Late Spring (1949), Tokyo Story (1953) and An Autumn Afternoon (1962).
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Norichika Aoki
- Occupations
- baseball player
- Biography
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Norichika "Nori" Aoki is a Japanese professional baseball outfielder for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). He previously played for the Milwaukee Brewers, Kansas City Royals, San Francisco Giants, Seattle Mariners, Houston Astros, Toronto Blue Jays and New York Mets of Major League Baseball (MLB).
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Lee Byung-chul
- Occupations
- entrepreneur
- Biography
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Lee Byung-chul was a South Korean businessman. He was the founder of the Samsung Group, South Korea's largest chaebol, and considered one of South Korea's most successful businessmen.
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Norio Wakamoto
- Occupations
- seiyū
- Biography
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Norio Wakamoto is a Japanese voice actor affiliated with the Sigma Seven talent agency. He was born in Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture, and was raised in Sakai, Osaka Prefecture. He graduated from Waseda University.
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Yasuko Namba
- Occupations
- mountaineer
- Biography
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Yasuko Namba was the second Japanese woman (after Junko Tabei) to climb the Seven Summits. Namba worked as a businesswoman for Federal Express in Japan, but her hobby of mountaineering took her all over the world. She first summited Kilimanjaro on New Year's Day in 1982, and summited Aconcagua exactly two years later. She reached the summit of Denali on July 1, 1985, and the summit of Mount Elbrus on August 1, 1992. After summiting Vinson Massif on December 29, 1993, and Carstensz Pyramid on November 12, 1994, Namba's final summit to reach was Mount Everest. She signed on with Rob Hall's guiding company, Adventure Consultants, and reached the summit in May 1996, but died during her descent in the 1996 Mount Everest disaster.
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Noboru Takeshita
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Noboru Takeshita was a Japanese politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan from 1987 to 1989 during the bubble economy.
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Akinobu Okada
- Occupations
- baseball manager
- Biography
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Akinobu Okada is a Japanese baseball manager and former player who manages the Hanshin Tigers of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB).
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Hirotada Ototake
- Occupations
- journalistwriterteacher
- Biography
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Hirotada Ototake is a Japanese writer from Tokyo, Japan who has written in the memoir, fiction and sports journalism genres.
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Demon Kakka
- Occupations
- tarentocomposerwriteractorfilm director
- Biography
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Demon Kakka, previously known as Demon Kogure (デーモン小暮, Dēmon Kogure), is a Japanese musician, songwriter, entertainer, journalist, sumo commentator, actor and voice actor. He first gained fame in the 1980s as vocalist of the heavy metal band Seikima-II, before starting a solo career in 1990 and branching out into other forms of entertainment. His real name is not publicly known and he is noted for always working entirely in character, which includes wearing face paint.
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Shinya Aoki
- Occupations
- mixed martial arts fighterjudoka
- Biography
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Shinya Aoki is a Japanese mixed martial artist, professional wrestler and grappler currently competing in ONE Championship's Welterweight division. He also competes in DDT Pro-Wrestling where he is a former three-time DDT Extreme Champion. A professional competitor since 2003, he is noted for being the DREAM Lightweight Champion, former two time ONE Lightweight World Champion, former WAMMA Lightweight Champion and former Shooto Welterweight Champion. Aoki is an A-class Shootist and BJJ black belt, both under his long-term mentor Yuki Nakai, as well as a black belt Judoka. As of 2008, Aoki, along with DEEP champion Masakazu Imanari, and Sengoku champion Satoru Kitaoka have founded the "Nippon Top Team" as a group of elite Japanese grapplers competing in MMA. As well as his MMA credentials, Aoki has garnered several submission grappling accolades including two All Japan Jiu-Jitsu Championships, a Japan Open Jiu-Jitsu Championship, a Budo Open Championship, and an ADCC Japan Championship.
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Takuma Sato
- Occupations
- Formula One driverracing automobile driver
- Biography
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Takuma Sato, nicknamed "Taku", is a Japanese professional racing driver. He competes part-time in the IndyCar Series, driving the No. 75 Honda for Rahal Letterman Lanigan Racing. Sato is a two-time winner of the Indianapolis 500, having won the event in 2017 and 2020. He was the first Asian driver to win the Indianapolis 500, and the twentieth driver to win the race more than once. Before winning the Indianapolis 500, Sato became the first Japanese-born driver to win an IndyCar Series race when he won the 2013 Grand Prix of Long Beach.
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Yoshihiko Noda
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Yoshihiko Noda is a Japanese politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan and Leader of the Democratic Party of Japan from 2011 to 2012. He is a member of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, and a member of the House of Representatives (lower house) in the Diet (national legislature). He was named to succeed Naoto Kan as a result of a runoff vote against Banri Kaieda in his party, and was formally appointed by the Emperor Akihito on 2 September 2011.
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Hideo Higashikokubaru
- Occupations
- television actorpoliticianfilm actortarentocomedian
- Biography
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Hideo Higashikokubaru is a Japanese politician. He originally rose to fame as a comedian and actor under the stage name Sonomanma Higashi (そのまんま東, literally "Higashi without change" or "simply Higashi"), and was known for his role in the popular game show Takeshi's Castle.
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Yasuo Fukuda
- Occupations
- economistpolitician
- Biography
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Yasuo Fukuda is a Japanese politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan from 2007 to 2008. He was previously the longest-serving Chief Cabinet Secretary in Japanese history, serving in that role from 2000 to 2004 under Prime Ministers Yoshirō Mori and Junichiro Koizumi. His record was surpassed by Yoshihide Suga, who served almost twice as long.
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Kin'ya Kitaōji
- Occupations
- television actoractor
- Biography
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Kin'ya Kitaōji is a Japanese actor.
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Junichi Ishida
- Occupations
- tarentoactor
- Biography
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Junichi Ishida is a Japanese actor and television personality from Tokyo. He is married to professional golfer Riko Higashio.
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Daiya Seto
- Occupations
- swimmer
- Biography
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Daiya Seto is a Japanese professional swimmer who specializes in individual medley, butterfly, breaststroke, and freestyle events. He holds the world record in the short course 400-metre individual medley and formerly held the world record in the short course 200-metre butterfly. He won the gold medal in the 400-metre individual medley at the 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2021, and 2022 world short course championships, as well as at the 2013, 2015, and 2019 world long course championships.
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Suguru Osako
- Occupations
- long-distance runnermarathon runnerathletics competitor
- Biography
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Suguru Osako is a Japanese long-distance runner. He won the 10,000 metres gold medal at the 2011 Summer Universiade in Shenzhen and holds the Asian junior record for the half marathon. He held the Japanese National Record for the marathon of 2:05:29 set at the 2020 Tokyo Marathon, where he finished fourth.
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Kiyomi Tsujimoto
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Kiyomi Tsujimoto is a Japanese politician from the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, and formerly other incarnations of Japanese center-left and social democratic parties. She is a member of the House of Representatives from the 10th District of Osaka. Tsujimoto is also the current policy chief of the CDP.
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Tsuyoshi Wada
- Occupations
- baseball player
- Biography
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Tsuyoshi Wada is a Japanese professional baseball pitcher for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks of the Nippon Professional Baseball League (NPB). He previously played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Chicago Cubs.
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Nakamura Kichiemon II
- Occupations
- costume designerfilm actoractorkabuki actor
- Biography
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Nakamura Kichiemon II was a Japanese actor, kabuki performer and costume designer. He was a so-called Living National Treasure.
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Akiyuki Nosaka
- Occupations
- tarentowriterlyricistscreenwriterbroadcast writer
- Biography
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Akiyuki Nosaka was a Japanese novelist, singer, lyricist, and member of the House of Councillors. As a broadcasting writer he used the name Yukio Aki (阿木 由紀夫, Aki Yukio) and his alias as a chanson singer was Claude Nosaka (クロード 野坂, Kurōdo Nosaka).
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Yōhei Kōno
- Occupations
- politiciandiplomat
- Biography
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Yōhei Kōno is a Japanese politician and a former President of the Liberal Democratic Party. He served as Speaker of the House of Representatives from November 2003 until August 2009, when the LDP lost its majority in the 2009 election. Kōno served as speaker for the longest length since the set up of House of Representatives in 1890.
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Princess Tsuguko of Takamado
- Enrolled in Waseda University
- In 2013 graduated with bachelor's degree
- Occupations
- aristocrat
- Biography
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Princess Tsuguko of Takamado is a member of the Imperial House of Japan and the eldest daughter of Norihito, Prince Takamado, and Hisako, Princess Takamado.
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Etsuko Ichihara
- Occupations
- seiyūactor
- Biography
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Etsuko Ichihara was a Japanese actress. She appeared in over 100 films.
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Keizō Obuchi
- Occupations
- politiciandiplomat
- Biography
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Keizō Obuchi was a Japanese politician who served as Prime Minister of Japan from 1998 to 2000.
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Chen Duxiu
- Occupations
- writerpoliticianprofessorphilosopherjournalist
- Biography
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Chen Duxiu was a Chinese revolutionary socialist, educator, philosopher and author, who co-founded the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) with Li Dazhao in 1921. From 1921 to 1927, he served as the Communist Party's first general secretary. Chen was a leading figure in both the Xinhai Revolution that overthrew the Qing dynasty and the May Fourth Movement for scientific and democratic developments in the early Republic of China. After his expulsion from the CCP in 1929, Chen was for a time the leader of China's Trotskyist movement.
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Matsumoto Hakuō II
- Occupations
- singer-songwriterkabuki actoractorsinger
- Biography
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Matsumoto Hakuō II is a Japanese kabuki actor, one of the most popular tachiyaku (specialist in male roles) currently performing.
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Shizuka Arakawa
- Occupations
- figure skating choreographerfigure skater
- Biography
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Shizuka Arakawa is a retired Japanese figure skater. She is the 2006 Olympic champion and the 2004 World champion. Arakawa is the first Japanese skater to win an Olympic gold medal in figure skating and the second Japanese skater to win any Olympic medal in figure skating, after Midori Ito, who won silver in 1992. She is also the second Japanese woman to win a gold medal at the Winter Olympics, following skier Tae Satoya. She was the only Japanese medalist at the 2006 Winter Olympics.
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Yoshiaki Tsutsumi
- Occupations
- entrepreneur
- Biography
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Yoshiaki Tsutsumi is a Japanese businessman. During the Japanese economic bubble, Forbes listed Tsutsumi as the wealthiest person in the world during 1987–94 due to his extensive real estate investments through the Seibu Corporation, which he controlled. In 1987, he had a net worth of $20 billion (approximately $44.4 billion in today's value). However, as a result of a series of scandals and his 2005 arrest, his net worth has fallen to such an extent that he was taken off the Forbes list of billionaires in 2007.
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Makiko Tanaka
- Occupations
- politiciandiplomat
- Biography
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Makiko Tanaka is a Japanese politician. She is the daughter of former Prime Minister Kakuei Tanaka and his official wife Hana.
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Kyosen Ōhashi
- Occupations
- actorcriticbroadcast writertarentotelevision presenter
- Biography
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Kyosen Ōhashi was a Japanese television host and writer. He also served briefly as a member of the House of Councillors in the Diet of Japan. His real name was Ōhashi Katsumi (大橋 克巳).
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Shin Kyuk-ho
- Occupations
- autobiographerentrepreneur
- Biography
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Shin Kyuk-ho, known in Japan as Takeo Shigemitsu, was a South Korean businessman known for being the founder of the South Korean-Japanese conglomerate Lotte Corporation (Group), one of the largest chaebols in South Korea.
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Shūji Terayama
- Occupations
- screenwriterwriteractorwaka poetfilm director
- Biography
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Shūji Terayama was a Japanese avant-garde poet, dramatist, writer, film director, and photographer. His works range from radio drama, experimental television, underground (Angura) theatre, countercultural essays, to Japanese New Wave and "expanded" cinema.
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Shin'ya Kote
- Occupations
- seiyūactor
- Biography
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Shinya Kote is a Japanese actor, voice actor, writer, and director. He is represented with Office PSC.
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Gō Katō
- Occupations
- actor
- Biography
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Gō Katō was a Japanese entertainer and actor.
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Beni Takemata
- Occupations
- tarentofemale shogi playerannouncer
- Biography
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Beni Takemata is a female announcer for Fuji TV. She is a former Japanese women's professional shogi player who was ranked 1-dan. In December 2018, she announced her intention to retire from professional shogi and leave the Japan Shogi Association at the end of March 2019 to pursue other opportunities as well as to focus on her studies in political science and economics at Waseda University. She was formerly managed by Watanabe Entertainment as one of their "Intellectual Tarentos", appearing on Japanese variety shows and making personal appearances. In April 2021, she joined Fuji TV as announcer.
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Akira Nishino
- Occupations
- association football managerassociation football player
- Biography
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Akira Nishino is a Japanese football manager and former player.
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Hiroshige Seko
- Enrolled in Waseda University
- Studied in 1986
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Hiroshige Seko is a Japanese politician serving as a Member of the House of Councillors since 1998. He previously served as Secretary-General of the Liberal Democratic Party in the House of Councillors, and was the Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry from August 2016 to September 2019 under Shinzo Abe. As Minister, he played a crucial role for announcing the export restrictions against South Korea in 2019. A native of Wakayama Prefecture, he graduated from Waseda University and received a master's degree in corporate communications from Boston University.
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Toshiki Kaifu
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Toshiki Kaifu was a Japanese politician who served as the 77th prime minister of Japan from 1989 to 1991.
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Sugako Hashida
- Years
- 1925-2021 (aged 96)
- Occupations
- playwrighttarentowriterscreenwriter
- Biography
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Sugako Hashida was a Japanese scriptwriter. She is known particularly for writing the NHK Asadora Oshin, and was considered Japan's most successful TV drama scriptwriter. She established Hashida Cultural Foundation. Her real name was Sugako Iwasaki (岩﨑 壽賀子, Iwasaki Sugako).
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Yoshio Kojima
- Occupations
- owarai tarentoactor
- Biography
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Yoshio Kojima is a Japanese comedian famous for appearing only in a small bathing suit, during both performances and interviews. Among his well-known catchphrases are Sonna no kankei nee (そんなの関係ねぇ or "that has nothing to do with it", usually as a reaction to an intentional mistake in his routine) and Oppapī (おっぱっぴー), an abbreviation of "Ocean Pacific Peace", (オーシャン・パシフィック・ピース). All of his catchphrases are typically said followed by a signature dance, which has him hunched over, making a punching motion towards the ground while his hind leg is kneed upward simultaneously. A soundbite such as Oppapī, or something similarly random, is commonly used by Japanese comedians as an easy to remember and easy to repeat hook that can help popularise them and their comedy.
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Shigeharu Aoyama
- Occupations
- novelistpolitician
- Biography
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Shigeharu Aoyama is a Japanese politician who has served as a member of the House of Councillors of Japan, since 2016. He represents the National proportional representation block. He currently serves on the following committees:
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Mariko Tsutsui
- Occupations
- actor
- Biography
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Mariko Tsutsui is a Japanese actress.
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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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Kohei Arihara
- Occupations
- professional baseball player
- Biography
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Kohei Arihara is a Japanese professional baseball pitcher for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). He previously played for the Texas Rangers in Major League Baseball (MLB) and for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters NPB.
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Hisaya Morishige
- Occupations
- announcervoice actorentrepreneurcomedianactor
- Biography
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Hisaya Morishige was a Japanese actor and comedian. Born in Hirakata, Osaka, he graduated from Kitano Middle School (now Kitano High School), and attended Waseda University. He began his career as a stage actor, then became an announcer for NHK, working in Manchukuo. He became famous in films first for comedy roles, appearing in series such as the "Company President" (Shacho) and "Station Front" (Ekimae) series, produced by Toho. He appeared in nearly 250 films, both contemporary and jidaigeki. He was also famous on stage playing Tevye in the Japanese version of Fiddler on the Roof. He also appeared in television series and specials, and was the first guest on the television talk show Tetsuko's Room in 1975. He was long-time head of the Japan Actors Union. Among many honors, Morishige received the Order of Culture from the Emperor of Japan in 1991.
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Jeong Ju-yung
- Occupations
- industrialistautobiographerpoliticianentrepreneur
- Biography
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Chung Ju-yung or Jung Joo-young, was a South Korean entrepreneur, businessman and the founder of Hyundai Groups, one of the largest chaebols in South Korea. Raised as the eldest son of a poor Korean farmer, he became the richest man in South Korea. Chung was an integral part to the rapid development of Korea's economy, growing Hyundai Heavy Industries to be the largest ship builder in the world, as well as growing Hyundai Motor Group into the largest automobile manufacturer in Korea, and the third largest in the world. Chung was also a vital contributor to the development of South Korea's infrastructure after the Korean War's destruction of infrastructure, such as constructing the Gyeongbu Expressway in 1970, connecting the capital, Seoul, to the port city of Busan, in alliance with the President Park Chung Hee.
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Shun'ichi Suzuki
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Shun'ichi Suzuki is a Japanese politician who serves as minister of finance since October 2021. He is serving in the House of Representatives as a member of the Liberal Democratic Party.
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Rokusuke Ei
- Years
- 1933-2016 (aged 83)
- Occupations
- tarentolyricistbroadcast writertelevision presenter
- Biography
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Rokusuke Ei was a Japanese lyricist, composer, author, essayist, and television personality of Chinese descent.
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Masaru Ibuka
- Enrolled in Waseda University
- Studied engineering
- Occupations
- entrepreneurwriterengineer
- Biography
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Masaru Ibuka was a Japanese electronics industrialist and co-founder of Sony, along with Akio Morita.
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Inejirō Asanuma
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Inejiro Asanuma was a Japanese politician and leader of the Japan Socialist Party. During World War II, Asanuma was aligned with the Imperial Rule Assistance Association and advocated for war in Asia. Asanuma later became a forceful advocate of socialism in post-war Japan. He was noted for his support of the newly established People's Republic of China (PRC) as well as the criticism of United States–Japanese relations, making him a polarizing figure.
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Maiko Itō
- Occupations
- non-executive directorsingeractorbusinesspersontarento
- Biography
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Maiko Itō is a Japanese actress.
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Heita Kawakatsu
- Occupations
- economisthistorianpoliticianuniversity teacher
- Biography
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Heita Kawakatsu has been the governor of Shizuoka Prefecture since 2009 and is currently serving his fourth term. He completed his D.Phil. at Wolfson College, Oxford, under Professor Peter Mathias and was Professor of Economics History at Waseda University, Tokyo. He was also Professor of Economics History and Vice Director of the International Research Centre for Japanese Studies in Kyoto and President at Shizuoka University of Arts and culture. He is co-editor of many studies including Intra-Asian Trade and Industrialization and The Evolving Structure of the East Asian Economic System since 1700, both published by Routledge.
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Keiji Sada
- Occupations
- actor
- Biography
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Keiji Sada is the stage name for a Japanese cinema actor active from the late-1940s to the early 1960s. His real name was Kanichi Nakai. He won the award for best actor at the 7th Blue Ribbon Awards for Anata Kaimasu (I Will Buy You) and Taifū Sōdōki. He was the father of the actor Kiichi Nakai and actress Kie Nakai.
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Tatsuro Hirooka
- Occupations
- Baseball Criticsbaseball coachbaseball playerprofessional baseball player
- Biography
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Tatsuro Hirooka is a Japanese retired professional baseball player and manager.
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Kunishige Kamamoto
- Occupations
- association football playerpoliticianassociation football manager
- Biography
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Kunishige Kamamoto is a former Japanese football player, manager, and politician. He won the bronze medal with the Japan national team at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, finishing as the tournament's top scorer with seven goals, and is the all-time leading goalscorer for Japan.
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Fumie Suguri
- Occupations
- figure skating choreographerfigure skater
- Biography
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Fumie Suguri is a Japanese former competitive figure skater. She is a three-time World medalist, a three-time Four Continents champion, the 2003 Grand Prix Final champion, and a five-time Japanese national champion.
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Ken Utsui
- Occupations
- actor
- Biography
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Ken Utsui was a Japanese actor who worked on stage, film, and television from the 1950s to the 2010s.
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Daisuke Tsuda
- Occupations
- criticjournalist
- Biography
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Daisuke Tsuda, is an IT and music journalist and writer originally from Kita, Tokyo. He graduated from the Social Sciences Department of Waseda University.
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Shun Otokita
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Otokita Shun is a Japanese politician who is serving as a member of the National Diet in the House of Councillors for Nippon Ishin no Kai from the Tokyo at-large district. He is now serving as chair of the party's parliamentary policy bureau.
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Soichiro Tahara
- Occupations
- journalistnews presenterimpresariocritic
- Biography
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Soichiro Tahara is a Japanese political journalist, best known for hosting TV Asahi's Sunday Project program.
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Tow Ubukata
- Occupations
- science fiction writerwriterscreenwriter
- Biography
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Tow Ubukata is the pen name of a Japanese novelist and anime screenwriter. His major works include Mardock Scramble, Le Chevalier D'Eon and Heroic Age. He also did series composition for the Fafner in the Azure series, Ghost in the Shell: Arise, Psycho-Pass 2 and Psycho-Pass 3.
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Hiroo Ishii
- Occupations
- politicianbaseball player
- Biography
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Hiroo Ishii is a Japanese retired baseball player and politician from the Liberal Democratic Party of Japan. He currently serves as member of the House of Councillors for Akita at-large district.
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Toshihisa Nishi
- Occupations
- baseball coachbaseball player
- Biography
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Toshihisa Nishi is a Japanese former professional baseball player.
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Makoto Kaneko
- Occupations
- businessperson
- Biography
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Makoto Kaneko is the Founder, President, CEO and Representative Director of Zuken Inc., a public listed multinational corporation in the Tokyo Stock Exchange. He also owns the exclusive golf club, The King Kamehameha Golf Club in Hawaii.
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Kang Sang-jung
- Occupations
- political scientist
- Biography
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Kang Sang-jung, also known by his Japanese name Nagano Tetsuo (永野鉄男), is a second-generation Zainichi Korean political scientist, writer and public commentator. He has been an academic at several Japanese universities including the University of Tokyo (1996–2013), and President of Seigakuin University (2013–2015). He is currently Chairman of the Board of Kumamoto Prefectural Theatre.
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Yuya Fukui
- Occupations
- baseball player
- Biography
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Yuya Fukui is a professional Japanese baseball player. He plays pitcher for the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles.
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Kazuo Kitamura
- Occupations
- seiyūactor
- Biography
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Kazuo Kitamura was a Japanese actor. His son is actor Yukiya Kitamura. Kitamura met Shōhei Imamura when he was a student of Waseda University and became a close friend so often worked with Imamura. Kitamura joined Bungakuza theatre company and started his acting career in 1950. In 1953, he made his film debut with An Inlet of Muddy Water directed by Tadashi Imai.
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Yūko Obuchi
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Yuko Obuchi is a Japanese politician. She is a member of the House of Representatives for the Liberal Democratic Party. She briefly served as Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry during the Abe government, but was forced to resign. She is the second daughter of Keizo Obuchi, who served as Prime Minister of Japan from 1998 until his death in office in 2000.
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Machi Tawara
- Occupations
- writerhigh school teacherpoetwaka poettranslator
- Biography
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Machi Tawara is a contemporary Japanese writer, translator and poet.
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Ichirō Kōno
- Occupations
- politician
- Biography
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Ichirō Kōno was a Japanese politician during the postwar period who served as Deputy Prime Minister and a member of the National Diet. As Deputy Prime Minister, he was in charge of the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. In the 1950s and 1960s, he was the head of the powerful "Kōno Faction" within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party. Kōno aspired to become prime minister, but although he held a large number of important party and cabinet positions, reflecting his power and influence, he was not able to rise to the premiership before his death in 1965.
