List of Famous people born in Japan

Yoshiharu Abe is a Japanese popular music artist and producer. His 1992 single "+ OR -" hit the Billboard charts in Japan at number 5 in October 1992. After Unicorn dissolved in 1994, he started his solo career.

Anne-Sophie Le Paranthoën is an international-level swimmer from France. At the 2007 World Championships she set a French Record in the 100m Breaststroke (1:08.68).

Ushio Shinohara, nicknamed “Gyu-chan”, is a Japanese Neo-Dadaist artist. His bright, large work has been exhibited internationally at institutions including the Hara Museum of Contemporary Art, Centre Georges Pompidou, the Guggenheim Museum SoHo, National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo, Leo Castelli Gallery, New York, Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles and The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Seoul, and others. Shinohara and his wife, Noriko, are the subjects of a documentary film by Zachary Heinzerling called Cutie and the Boxer (2013).

Ren Nakata is a professional Japanese baseball player. He plays pitcher for the Hiroshima Toyo Carp.

Reiko Nakamura is a Japanese Olympic and Asian record-holding swimmer. She swam in the 2004 and 2008 Olympic Games, winning the bronze medals in the 200m backstroke at both editions. In doing so, she became the first Japanese woman in 72 years to win medals at consecutive Olympic games. She retired shortly after achieving this, in October 2008.

Hiroe Makiyama is a Japanese politician of the Constitutional Democratic Party and a member of the House of Councillors in the Diet representing the Kanagawa at-large district.

Wakanojō Munehiko is a former sumo wrestler from Naha, Okinawa, Japan. He made his professional debut in January 1992, and reached the top division in September 1997. His highest rank was maegashira 6. He retired in May 2004 due to diabetes, which he had been dealing with since the age of 18 and had seen him fall from the top division all the way down to the second lowest jonidan division. After retirement he became an office worker. He needed a kidney transplant in 2006 and his mother was the donor, which was featured in Tokyo Broadcasting System Television's The Friday in January 2018. He appeared in another edition of the program in June 2018, working alongside fellow ex-sumo wrestlers Wakatoba and Wakatenro, in care for the elderly.

Matsuji Nakaizumi is a Japanese politician from the Liberal Democratic Party. As of 2014 he served as member of the House of Councillors for Akita At-large district.

Fumiko Kono is a Japanese personal and business chef who prepares fusion dishes of French and Japanese cuisine. Classically trained at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris, she has cooked for celebrities throughout the world, been the featured subject of documentaries, and has written her own cookbooks.

Mamoru Nagano is a Japanese manga artist, animator, and mecha and character designer. Born in Maizuru, Kyoto Prefecture, he is noted for his work with anime studio Sunrise. He is married to voice actress Maria Kawamura.