Famous People Born In Kobe

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 1 
Shinji Kagawa
(Japanese Professional Footballer Who Plays as a Midfielder)
Shinji Kagawa
24
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: March 17, 1989
Sun Sign: Pisces

Shinji Kagawa is a Japanese footballer who plays as a midfielder. He has the distinction of having played for top-notch European football clubs, such as Manchester United and Borussia Dortmund. Known for agility on the field, Shinji Kagawa is currently part of the Greek club, PAOK Thessaloniki, after his contract with Spanish team, Zaragoza, was terminated. 

 2 
Mako Iwamatsu
7
Birthdate: December 10, 1933
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Died: July 21, 2006

Japanese-American actor Makoto Iwamatsu, or Mako, is remembered for his Academy Award- and Golden Globe-nominated role of Po-Han in The Sand Pebbles. He also appeared in Conan the Barbarian, Conan the Destroyer, and Seven Years in Tibet. He delivered a Tony-nominated performance in Pacific Overtures and co-founded East West Players.

 3 
Richard T. Jones
(Actor and Producer Known for His TV Series: ‘Ally McBeal’, ‘Judging Amy’ and ‘CSI: Miami’)
Richard T. Jones
9
Birthdate: January 16, 1972
Sun Sign: Capricorn

Richard T. Jones is an American actor known for playing important roles in films like Full Court Miracle, The Wood, and Why Did I Get Married? Apart from being an actor, Richard T. Jones is also a preacher/minister and often appears in Christian drama films, such as A Question of Faith.

 4 
Keiko Kitagawa
(Japanese Actress and Former Model.)
Keiko Kitagawa
2
Birthdate: August 22, 1986
Sun Sign: Leo
Height: 5'3" (160 cm)
 5 
Kae Alexander
(Actress)
Kae Alexander
1
Birthdate: August 30, 1985
Sun Sign: Virgo
Height: 5'1" (155 cm)
 6 
Kiyoshi Kurosawa
(Japanese Film Director, Screenwriter and Film Critic)
Kiyoshi Kurosawa
1
Birthdate: July 19, 1955
Sun Sign: Cancer

Kiyoshi Kurosawa is a Japanese film director and film critic. He is also a professor at Tokyo University of the Arts. Interested in filmmaking from a young age,he received his training under prominent film critic Shigehiko Hasumi before beginning his career. He has worked in numerous genres and is best known for his many contributions to the Japanese horror genre. 

 7 
Jared Taylor
(American White Supremacist and Editor of 'American Renaissance')
Jared Taylor
3
Listed In: Business People
Birthdate: September 15, 1951
Sun Sign: Virgo

Jared Taylor is a white supremacist who is credited with founding an online magazine named American Renaissance for which he serves as the editor. He also serves as the president of New Century Foundation, the magazine's parent organization, through which he has published many of his books. Over the years Jared Taylor has been accused of propagating racist ideologies.

 8 
Shintaro Ishihara
(Former Governor of Tokyo (1999 - 2012))
Shintaro Ishihara
1
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: September 30, 1932
Sun Sign: Libra
Died: February 1, 2022

Apart from serving as the governor of Tokyo, Japanese right-wing politician Shintaro Ishihara has also been an accomplished writer. He wrote the Akutagawa Prize-winning novel Season of the Sun when he was still in school and later contributed to various plays and screenplays, too.

 9 
Hiroshi Mikitani
(Japanese Businessman & Founder of 'Rakuten')
Hiroshi Mikitani
0
Listed In: Business People
Birthdate: March 11, 1963
Sun Sign: Pisces

Hiroshi Mikitani is a Japanese writer and businessman. He is best known as the founder of the popular online retailing and electronic commerce company, Rakuten Group, Inc., where he also serves as the CEO. Hiroshi Mikitani also serves as the president of Crimson Group.

 10 
Takazumi Katayama
(Japanese Former Motorcycle Racer)
Takazumi Katayama
0
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: April 16, 1951
Sun Sign: Aries
 11 
Michelle Ferre
(Actress and former CNN correspondent in Japan)
Michelle Ferre
0
Birthdate: June 13, 1973
Sun Sign: Gemini
Height: 5'4" (163 cm)
 12 
Yūko Miyamura
(Actress, voice actress who played Kazuha Toyama in Detective Conan, Casca in Berserk and Asuka Langley Soryu in Neon Genesis Evangelion)
Yūko Miyamura
1
Birthdate: December 4, 1972
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Height: 5'2" (157 cm)
 13 
Uta Abe
(Japanese Judoka and Olympic Gold Medalist)
Uta Abe
0
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: July 14, 2000
Sun Sign: Cancer
Height: 5'2" (157 cm)
 14 
Shūhei Nomura
(Actor)
Shūhei Nomura
0
Birthdate: November 14, 1993
Sun Sign: Scorpio
Height: 5'7" (170 cm)
 15 
Hifumi Abe
(Japanese Judoka)
Hifumi Abe
0
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: August 9, 1997
Sun Sign: Leo
Height: 5'6" (168 cm)
 16 
Hsiao Bi-khim
(Politician)
Hsiao Bi-khim
0
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: August 7, 1971
Sun Sign: Leo
 17 
Toyohiko Kagawa
(Japanese Protestant Christian Pacifist, Christian Reformer, and Labour Activist)
Toyohiko Kagawa
1
Listed In: Miscellaneous
Birthdate: July 10, 1888
Sun Sign: Cancer
Died: April 23, 1960

A Japanese Christian social reformer, Toyohiko Kagawa was educated at the Princeton Theological Seminary in the US and later spearheaded the Friends of Jesus band in Japan, encouraging compassion for the poor and women’s suffrage. His written work is preserved in the 24-volume Kagawa Toyohiko Zenshu.

 18 
Shinichi Shinohara
(Retired Japanese Judoka)
Shinichi Shinohara
0
Listed In: Sportspersons
Birthdate: January 23, 1973
Sun Sign: Aquarius
Height: 6'3" (190 cm)
 19 
Annu Mari
(Actress)
Annu Mari
0
Birthdate: May 20, 1948
Sun Sign: Taurus
 20 
Takako Doi
(Former Speaker of the House of Representatives of Japan)
Takako Doi
0
Listed In: Leaders
Birthdate: November 30, 1928
Sun Sign: Sagittarius
Died: September 20, 2014

Takako Doi was a prominent Japanese politician who became the first female Lower House Speaker in Japan. She was also the country’s first female Opposition Leader. She became a member of the Japan Socialist Party (JSP) in 1969 and rose through the ranks with time. She was a popular politician and retired in 2005.

 21 
Hiroshi Noma
(Japanese Poet, Novelist and Essayist)
Hiroshi Noma
0
Listed In: Writers
Birthdate: February 23, 1915
Sun Sign: Pisces
Died: January 2, 1991

Best known for his war novel Zone of Emptiness, which is now hailed as a classic, Hiroshi Noma was also drawn toward Symbolism in his youth. After graduating in French literature, he was involved in student and labor movements and later also fought in World War II.

 22 
Kimiko Matsuzaka
(Adult Film Star, AV idol, Glamor model)
Kimiko Matsuzaka
0
Birthdate: October 21, 1969
Sun Sign: Libra
Height: 5'3" (160 cm)