List of Famous people who are 72

Katsutoshi Kaneda is a Japanese politician who served as the Japanese Minister of Justice in 2016–2017. He studied and graduated at the Hitotsubashi University.

Nils Daniel Carl Bildt is a Swedish politician and diplomat who was Prime Minister of Sweden from 1991 to 1994. He was the leader of the Moderate Party from 1986 to 1999. Bildt served as Sweden's Minister for Foreign Affairs from 2006 to 2014.

Brigitte Margret Ida Mohnhaupt is a German convicted former terrorist associated with the second generation of the Red Army Faction (RAF) members. She was also part of the Socialist Patients' Collective (SPK). From 1971 until 1982 she was active within the RAF.

Machiko Washio is a Japanese actress who works in both live action as well as voice over work for anime. To anime fans, she is well known as the voice of Sakura in Urusei Yatsura.

Christian Neureuther is a former World Cup alpine ski racer from Germany.

Jayabharathi is an Indian actress who started her career at 17 years old in late 1969. She is a two-time recipient of the Kerala State Film Award for best actress.

Kensaku Morita is a Japanese politician, actor and singer. He was elected as the Governor of Chiba Prefecture in March 2009 and re-elected to a second term in March 2013. He previously served one term in the House of Councillors of the National Diet, representing the Tokyo at-large district from 1992 until 1998, and two terms in the House of Representatives from 1998 until 2003, representing the Tokyo 4th district.

Hilary Bonner is an English crime novelist, best known for her psychological thrillers. Almost all Bonner's novels are inspired by real life events, often drawing on her journalistic past.

Ottmar Hitzfeld is a German former professional football player (striker) and manager, nicknamed der General. He has accumulated a total of 18 major titles, mostly in his tenures with Grasshopper Club Zürich, Borussia Dortmund, and Bayern Munich. A trained mathematician and sports teacher, Hitzfeld is one of the most successful coaches of German and international football. He has been elected "World Coach of the Year" twice; he is one of only five managers to win the European Cup/UEFA Champions League with two clubs, along with Ernst Happel, José Mourinho, Jupp Heynckes, and Carlo Ancelotti.

James Edward "Hoss" Cartwright is a retired United States Marine Corps four-star general who last served as the eighth Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from August 31, 2007, to August 3, 2011. He previously served as the Commander, U.S. Strategic Command, from September 1, 2004, to August 10, 2007, and as Acting Commander, U.S. Strategic Command from July 9, 2004, to September 1, 2004. He retired from the Marine Corps on August 3, 2011, after nearly 40 years of service.