Japanese Famous Names Starting with Letter I

Was a professional go player.He was a very bright student and had high ambitions into becoming a top

Was a professional go player.He was a very bright student and had high ambitions into becoming a top go player. By the time he was 17, he was a 3 dan, and seven years later he reached 7 dan. At that time, a player of 7 dan rank was one of the strongest. He was also said to have been a future Meijin if his life had not been cut so short.

Was a Japanese politician and author active in Showa period Japan. He was the third son of Prime Min

Was a Japanese politician and author active in Showa period Japan. He was the third son of Prime Minister of Japan Inukai Tsuyoshi.Inukai was born in the Magome district of Tokyo, and graduated from Tokyo Imperial University with a degree in philosophy. Interested in literature from his student days, he gravitated to the Shirakaba ("White Birch") literary society due to its liberal humanistic outlook. His works were influenced by Mushanokoji Saneatsu and Nagayo Yoshiro, and he became a member of the Japanese chapter of the International PEN.

A Japanese novelist, actor, and TV commentator.After graduating from Seikei University, he worked fo

A Japanese novelist, actor, and TV commentator.After graduating from Seikei University, he worked for a number of different advertising production companies and as a freelance copywriter.[1] In 1997, he published his first novel, Ikebukuro West Gate Park, which won the 36th All Yomimono New Mystery Writer's Prize. In 2003, he won the Naoki Prize for 4-Teen.[1]His novels describe the culture of young people in Japan, particularly young women and otaku without a college education. Many of his works have been adapted for manga and television. As an actor, he made his first appearance in a leading role in the 2006 film Love My Life.

A Japanese scientist, best known for inventing p-n junction blue LEDs using gallium nitride (GaN) in

A Japanese scientist, best known for inventing p-n junction blue LEDs using gallium nitride (GaN) in as early as 1989, first in the world.[1]Akasaki graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1952 from Kyoto University. He received PhD degree in Electronics from Nagoya University. He started his research on blue LEDs from late 1960’s .[2] and continued his efforts persistently, improving step by step the quality of GaN crystals and device structures at Matsushita, where he decided to adopt metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy(MOVPE) as the preferred growth method for GaN. In 1981 he started afresh growth of GaN by MOVPE at Nagoya University, and in 1985 he and his group succeeded in growing a high quality single crystal GaN on sapphire substrate by a low-temperature buffer layer technology.[3]. This high quality GaN enabled them to discover p-type GaN doping with magnesium (Mg) by MOVPE, to control n-type conductivity by silicon (Si) doping, and then to realize p-n junction blue LEDs in 1989.[1], p-n junction blue/UV-LEDs [1]

A Japanese politician of the New Komeito Party, a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet

A Japanese politician of the New Komeito Party, a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature). A native of Yokohama, Kanagawa and graduate of the University of Tokyo, he worked at the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries from 1981 to 1993. He was elected to the House of Representatives for the first time in 1993.

Was a Japanese tanka poet and playwright writer active in Taisho and Showa period Japan. Attracted t

Was a Japanese tanka poet and playwright writer active in Taisho and Showa period Japan. Attracted to European romanticism in his youth, his later works were more subdued.Yoshii Isamu was born in the elite Takanawa district Tokyo. His grandfather, Count Yoshii Tomosane was a member of the House of Peers, the Privy Council and official in the Imperial Household Ministry, and his aunt was the wife of Field Marshal Oyama Iwao. Yoshii began to live at his father's cottage in Kamakura, Kanagawa prefecture from 1887 and entered the elementary section of the Kamakura Normal School in 1891. The following year the family returned to Tokyo, but for the rest of his life, he returned to Kamakura frequently to recuperate from bouts of ill health (i.e. tuberculosis).

???, Aoki Isao?, born on 31 August 1942) is one of Japan's most successful golfers

???, Aoki Isao?, born on 31 August 1942) is one of Japan's most successful golfers

Is a Japanese footballer who plays for Albirex Niigata.

Is a Japanese footballer who plays for Albirex Niigata.

Was a judoka who competed in the +80 kg and Open divisions.Inokuma was born in Yokosuka, Kanagawa, a

Was a judoka who competed in the +80 kg and Open divisions.Inokuma was born in Yokosuka, Kanagawa, and began judo at age 15. He entered the Tokyo University of Education (current University of Tsukuba) and won the All-Japan Judo Championships in 1959 at only 21 years of age to become the first student competitor to win the championship. He placed second in the All-Japan Championships from 1960-1961, facing future Olympic silver medalist and life-long friend Akio Kaminaga in the finals both years.

Is a former Japanese football player. He was part of the Japan national team for the 1956 Summer Oly

Is a former Japanese football player. He was part of the Japan national team for the 1956 Summer Olympics football competition in Melbourne.

Is a Japanese former volleyball player who competed in the 1968 Summer Olympics.

Is a Japanese former volleyball player who competed in the 1968 Summer Olympics.

Chairman, Toho Co., Ltd..A graduate of the prestigious Konan University, Matsuoka serves as Chairman

Chairman, Toho Co., Ltd..A graduate of the prestigious Konan University, Matsuoka serves as Chairman of the Toho Co., Ltd., a position he has held for 12 years since his appointment in 1995. He had previously served as President and recently celebrated his 50th year with the company.Recently honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award by ShoWest, Matsuoka is credited with helping establish Toho as the preeminent film production, distribution and exhibition company in Japan with his revolutionary and innovative reforms.

Was a Japanese businessman and the former Chairman of Sega.From 1984 until 2004 Okawa's Company CSK

Was a Japanese businessman and the former Chairman of Sega.From 1984 until 2004 Okawa's Company CSK Holdings Corporation had the most shares over SEGA and as a result, Okawa was the Chairman of Sega Enterprises. In 2004 CSK's shares were bought by Sammy, making Hajime Satomi the new CEO of SEGA, and Sega and Sammy merged to form Sega Sammy Holdings. In his time he supplied over $40million USD towards Sega Enterprises, mainly to fund the Sega Dreamcast, forgave the debts Sega owed him and gave the company his $695 million worth of Sega and CSK stock to Sega Corporation

A Japanese seiyu, actor, and vocalist. He has had voice roles in anime such as Legend of the Galacti

A Japanese seiyu, actor, and vocalist. He has had voice roles in anime such as Legend of the Galactic Hero, Space Battleship Yamato, and Gatchaman. He has also performed the opening themes for anime such as Yamato, Star of the Giants, Getter Robo, Casshan, Grendizer, Gaiking and tokusatsu series such as Himitsu Sentai Goranger, J.A.K.Q. Dengekitai, Choujinki Metalder, and most recently Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger. He has also had an acting role in the tokusatsu film Kamen Rider ZO and in the series Kyojuu Tokusou Juspion.

Is a Japanese professional wrestler from Moriguchi, Osaka Prefecture, who works for Dradition. He ha

Is a Japanese professional wrestler from Moriguchi, Osaka Prefecture, who works for Dradition. He has previously worked for All Japan Pro Wrestling. In 1986, at the age of 24, he decided to quit sumo and joined AJPW upon an offer from owner Giant Baba. He

Is one of the most famous directors of anime, or Japanese animated films. Born in Ujiyamada (now Ise

Is one of the most famous directors of anime, or Japanese animated films. Born in Ujiyamada (now Ise), Mie prefecture, Japan, he is a long-term colleague of Hayao Miyazaki and co-head at Studio Ghibli. His four animated films at Studio Ghibli have spanned a remarkable range of genres: war-film (Grave of the Fireflies), romantic drama (Only Yesterday), comedy (My Neighbors the Yamadas), and ecological adventure (Pom Poko). Of these Grave of the Fireflies, in particular, is widely considered one of the greatest animated films ever made.

A renowned Japanese electronic music composer.Tomita was born in Tokyo and spent his early childhood

A renowned Japanese electronic music composer.Tomita was born in Tokyo and spent his early childhood with his father in China. After returning to Japan, he took private lessons in orchestration and composition while an art history student at Keio University, Tokyo. He graduated in 1955 and became a full-time composer for television, film and theatre. He composed the theme music for the Japanese Olympic gymnastics team for the 1956 Summer Olympics in Melbourne, Australia.

A Japanese film director. He served as assistant director on Shunji Iwai's Love Letter, April Story,

A Japanese film director. He served as assistant director on Shunji Iwai's Love Letter, April Story, and Swallowtail Butterfly.

A Japanese author and a literature critic. His critic, “Maihime”, on the short story of the same

A Japanese author and a literature critic. His critic, “Maihime”, on the short story of the same name by Mori Ogai, was an important dispute in literature during the early Meiji period.

Was a Japanese film director. His early film career included working as an assistant under the famed

Was a Japanese film director. His early film career included working as an assistant under the famed director, Akira Kurosawa.Alongside his film duties, he was drafted into the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II in China and was a prisoner there when the war ended.He is probably best known for his tokusatsu films including several entries in the Godzilla series. He directed the original Godzilla along with King Kong vs. Godzilla (1962), Mothra vs. Godzilla (1964), All Monsters Attack (1969) and many others until 1975. He also directed such tokusatsu films such as Rodan and Mothra. His last feature film was Terror of Mechagodzilla (1975).

Was a well known Japanese Christian socialist.Abe was born in Fukuoka, and studied at Doshisha Unive

Was a well known Japanese Christian socialist.Abe was born in Fukuoka, and studied at Doshisha University and abroad, including at the University of Berlin, before becoming a Unitarian preacher. He taught at the University of Tokyo from 1899. In 1901 he helped to found the short-lived Japanese Social-Democratic party, which the government swiftly prohibited.During the Russo-Japanese War he advocated non-cooperation and participated in various early feminist movements. In 1906, he played an instrumental role in founding the first Japanese Socialist Party, from which he advocated a Christian Socialist viewpoint. However, the government outlawed this party too in 1907. In 1924 he became the first President of the Japanese Fabian Society. In 1928 voters elected Iso to the Japanese Diet, where he held a seat for four consecutive elections. In 1932, he became a chairman of Shakai Taishuto. He withdrew from politics in 1940.

Was the commander-in-chief of the Combined Fleet during World War II, a graduate of the Imperial Jap

Was the commander-in-chief of the Combined Fleet during World War II, a graduate of the Imperial Japanese Naval Academy and a student of the U.S. Naval War College and of Harvard University (1919–1921).

Was a Japanese architect. He graduated from Tokyo Art School (now Tokyo National University of Fine

Was a Japanese architect. He graduated from Tokyo Art School (now Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music) in 1923. His style, known as sukiya, combines elements of traditional Japanese architecture and modernist architecture.

A Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, a member of the House of Councillors in the D

A Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, a member of the House of Councillors in the Diet (national legislature). A graduate of Kansai University, he was elected to the House of Councillors for the first time in 2004 after serving in the assembly of Osaka Prefecture for four terms.

The governor of Fukui Prefecture in Japan. He was elected first in 2003. A native of Asahi, Fukui an

The governor of Fukui Prefecture in Japan. He was elected first in 2003. A native of Asahi, Fukui and graduate of Kyoto University, he joined the Ministry of Home Affairs in 1968.