- Toru Shinagawa1935–2026Japanese actor known for roles in "White Tower," "Dragon Zakura," and Takeshi Kitano films, active across film, TV, and stage for over six decades.
- Hideki Shirakawa1936–2026Japanese chemist who won the 2000 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for discovering and developing conductive polymers.
- Yuji Yanase?–2026Japanese anime director and animator who directed Himegoto and worked on Fist of the North Star, Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's, and Saint Seiya Omega.
- Toyohiro Akiyama1942–2026Japanese TBS journalist and cosmonaut who became the first Japanese person in space aboard Soyuz TM-11 in 1990.
- Kiwari Daiyu1938–2026A Japanese haiku poet who composed verses about the Hanshin Tigers under the pen name Kosui.
- Yaeko Mizutani1939–2026Japanese actress and singer, leading figure of shinpa theatre, who succeeded her mother as the second-generation Yaeko Mizutani.
- Morio Shinoda1931–2026Japanese sculptor known for architectural, mechanical metal sculptures and professor emeritus at the University of Tsukuba.
- Izuru Narushima1961–2026Japanese film director and screenwriter known for the award-winning films Rebirth and Cape Nostalgia.
- Ken Izawa1936–2026Founder of Japanese talent agency Izawa Office and longtime manager of comedy group The Drifters, producer of national TV variety shows.
- Shudo Urio1956–2026Japanese mystery novelist who won the 46th Edogawa Ranpo Award in 2000 for 'No Otoko', later adapted into a 2013 film.
- Atsushi Kojima1935–2026Founder of the GANKO (formerly Ganko Food Service) sushi and Japanese restaurant chain and a prominent Kansai business leader.
- Toyoo Tamamura1945–2026Japanese essayist, painter, and winery founder known for his writing on food, travel, and rural life.
- Takashi Koide1938–2026Japanese picture book author and educator who wrote the acclaimed children's book 'Zou Ressha ga Yatte Kita' about wartime elephants.
- Tamisuke Watanuki1927–2026Japanese politician who served as Speaker of the House of Representatives and founded the People's New Party.
- Bun'yō Ishikawa1938–2026Japanese photojournalist renowned for documenting the Vietnam War front lines from 1965 to 1968.
- Katsura Yonesuke1950–2026Kamigata rakugo storyteller and disciple of Katsura Beicho, renowned as a master of the flute and hayashi accompaniment.
- Takaichi Mabuchi1933–2026Co-founder and honorary chairman of Mabuchi Motor, the world's largest small electric motor manufacturer.
- Isao Tsukamoto1934–2026Korean language scholar and former Osaka University of Foreign Studies professor who compiled the Korean-Japanese Dictionary and translated 'Yunbogi's Diary'.
- Kusaka Akira?–2026Japanese popular streamer who, as half of the Niconico duo ChemieKiller, became known for the viral 'legendary makeup stream.'
- Miyoji Morimoto1937–2026Japanese leprosy survivor and human-rights activist who led the residents' association at Tama Zenshoen and founded IDEA Japan.
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