1998 in Japan
Encyclopedia
Incumbents
- EmperorEmperor of JapanThe Emperor of Japan is, according to the 1947 Constitution of Japan, "the symbol of the state and of the unity of the people." He is a ceremonial figurehead under a form of constitutional monarchy and is head of the Japanese Imperial Family with functions as head of state. He is also the highest...
: AkihitoAkihitois the current , the 125th emperor of his line according to Japan's traditional order of succession. He acceded to the throne in 1989.-Name:In Japan, the emperor is never referred to by his given name, but rather is referred to as "His Imperial Majesty the Emperor" which may be shortened to . In... - Prime MinisterPrime Minister of JapanThe is the head of government of Japan. He is appointed by the Emperor of Japan after being designated by the Diet from among its members, and must enjoy the confidence of the House of Representatives to remain in office...
: Ryutaro HashimotoRyutaro Hashimotowas a Japanese politician who served as the 82nd and 83rd Prime Minister of Japan from January 11, 1996 to July 30, 1998. He was the leader of one of the largest factions within the ruling LDP through most of the 1990s and remained a powerful back-room player in Japanese politics until scandal...
, Keizo ObuchiKeizo Obuchiwas a Japanese politician who served in the House of Representatives for twelve terms, and ultimately as the 84th Prime Minister of Japan from July 30, 1998 to April 5, 2000. His political career ended when he suffered a serious and ultimately fatal stroke.... - Chief Cabinet SecretaryChief Cabinet Secretary__notoc__The of Japan is a Minister of State who is responsible for directing the Cabinet Secretariat. The main function of Chief Cabinet Secretary is to coordinate the policies of ministries and agencies in the executive branch...
: Kanezo Muraoka, Hiromu NonakaHiromu Nonakais a Japanese LDP politician and former member of the House of Representatives. He is currently a lecturer at Heian Jogakuin University.He has held the following posts:...
Events
- February 7–February 22 - The 1998 Winter Olympics1998 Winter OlympicsThe 1998 Winter Olympics, officially the XVIII Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event celebrated from 7 to 22 February 1998 in Nagano, Japan. Seventy-two nations and 2,176 participans contested in seven sports and 72 events at 15 venues. The games saw the introduction of Women's ice...
are held in Nagano. - April 5 - The Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge linking ShikokuShikokuis the smallest and least populous of the four main islands of Japan, located south of Honshū and east of the island of Kyūshū. Its ancient names include Iyo-no-futana-shima , Iyo-shima , and Futana-shima...
with HonshūHonshuis the largest island of Japan. The nation's main island, it is south of Hokkaido across the Tsugaru Strait, north of Shikoku across the Inland Sea, and northeast of Kyushu across the Kanmon Strait...
and costing about ¥ 500 billion, opens to traffic, becoming the largest suspension bridgeSuspension bridgeA suspension bridge is a type of bridge in which the deck is hung below suspension cables on vertical suspenders. Outside Tibet and Bhutan, where the first examples of this type of bridge were built in the 15th century, this type of bridge dates from the early 19th century...
in the world. - July 5 - Japan launches the Nozomi probe to MarsMarsMars is the fourth planet from the Sun in the Solar System. The planet is named after the Roman god of war, Mars. It is often described as the "Red Planet", as the iron oxide prevalent on its surface gives it a reddish appearance...
, joining the United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and RussiaRussiaRussia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
as an outer spaceOuter spaceOuter space is the void that exists between celestial bodies, including the Earth. It is not completely empty, but consists of a hard vacuum containing a low density of particles: predominantly a plasma of hydrogen and helium, as well as electromagnetic radiation, magnetic fields, and neutrinos....
-exploring nation. - July 25 - Masumi HayashiMasumi Hayashi (poisoner)is a Japanese woman convicted of putting poison in a pot of curry being served at a 1998 summer festival in the Sonobe district of Wakayama, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan.-Summary:...
poisons a curry poy at a festival in WakayamaWakayama, Wakayamais the capital city of Wakayama Prefecture in the Kansai region of Japan.-Background:Wakayama occupies 4% of the land area and has 40% of Wakayama prefecture's population. The city was founded on April 1, 1889....
causing the death of two adults and two children. - October 8 - Japan-South Korea Joint Declaration of 1998
- November 26 - Japan-China Joint Declaration On Building a Partnership of Friendship and Cooperation for Peace and Development
Births
- April 10 - Airi Kinoshita, murder victim (d. 20052005 in JapanEvents in the year 2005 in Japan.-Incumbents:* Emperor: Akihito* Prime Minister: Junichiro Koizumi* Chief Cabinet Secretary: Hiroyuki Hosoda, Shinzo Abe* Governor of Tokyo: Shintaro Ishihara-Events:...
) - May 28 - Riho SayashiRiho SayashiRiho Sayashi is a Japanese pop singer under Hello! Project. She is a ninth generation member of the Japanese pop group Morning Musume, along with Mizuki Fukumura, Erina Ikuta, and Kanon Suzuki....
, J-pop singer - July 9 - Tiger OnitsukaTiger Onitsukais Japanese jazz drummer, who holds the Guinness World Record for being "The World's Youngest Professional Jazz Drummer" after releasing his first album, Tiger! on the Columbia/Savoy label at the age of 9 years old in April 2008....
, jazz drummer - July 26 - Maya SakuraMaya Sakurais an enka singer and child actress. In 2008, she made her debut with the single at the age of 10. In 2009, she received a "New Artist" award at the 51st Annual Japan Record Awards, becoming the youngest person to do so....
, singer - August 5 - Kanon SuzukiKanon Suzukiis a Japanese pop singer. She is a ninth-generation member of the Japanese girl idol group Morning Musume.- Biography :In 2010, Kanon Suzuki participated in the Morning Musume ninth-generation auditions....
, singer - December 9 - Mika Dela CruzMika Dela CruzMariko Nicolette E. Dela Cruz, also known as Mika Dela Cruz, is a Fillipina actress.She won the best child actress award at the 2010 Star Awards for Movies for the movie, T2....
, actress
Deaths
- January 9 - Kenichi FukuiKenichi FukuiKenichi Fukui was a Japanese chemist.Kenichi Fukui was co-recipient of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1981 with Roald Hoffmann, for their independent investigations into the mechanisms of chemical reactions...
, Japanese chemist, Nobel PrizeNobel Prize in ChemistryThe Nobel Prize in Chemistry is awarded annually by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences to scientists in the various fields of chemistry. It is one of the five Nobel Prizes established by the will of Alfred Nobel in 1895, awarded for outstanding contributions in chemistry, physics, literature,...
laureate (b. 1918) - January 21 - Yoshifumi KondōYoshifumi Kondowas a Japanese animator who worked for Studio Ghibli in his last years. He was born in Gosen, Niigata Prefecture, Japan. He worked as an animation director on Anne of Green Gables, Sherlock Hound, Kiki's Delivery Service, Only Yesterday and Princess Mononoke...
, animator (b. 1950) - January 26 - Shinichi Suzuki, violinist (b. 1898)
- January 27 - Tamio KageyamaTamio Kageyamawas a Japanese novelist.Drawn to the arts, the former television script writer and essayist surprised many critics as the winner of the highly esteemed 1988 Naoki Prize for his novel, Coo: Tooi Umi Kara Kita Coo...
, novelist (b. 1947) - January 28 - Shotaro IshinomoriShotaro Ishinomoriwas a Japanese manga artist who became an influential figure in manga, anime, and tokusatsu, creating several immensely popular long-running series such as Cyborg 009 and Himitsu Sentai Goranger, what would go on to become part of the Super Sentai series, and the Kamen Rider Series...
, Manga artist, "Father of HenshinHenshinis the Japanese word for "transformation," literally meaning, "to change or transform the body." This word is primarily used in manga, anime, and tokusatsu dramas for when a character transforms into a superhero. usually have a "henshin call", a catchphrase which they recite when they transform...
heroes." (b. 1938) - February 5 - Takahashi ChikuzanTakahashi ChikuzanTakahashi Chikuzan was a renowned Japanese Tsugaru-jamisen performer and composer.He was born in Kominato, a village that is part of the Hiranai township in Aomori Prefecture. He lost his sight at around age two from measles before becoming a live-in apprentice of the Tsugaru-jamisen performer...
, Tsugaru-jamisen performer and composer (b. 1910) - March 10 - Kenkō SatoshiKenko SatoshiKenkō Satoshi was a sumo wrestler from Osaka, Japan. His highest rank was komusubi.-Career:Debuting in November 1984, he reached the second highest jūryō division in March 1991. His first tournament in the top makuuchi division was in July 1992...
, Sumo wrestler (b. 1967) - March 13 - Kosho UchiyamaKosho Uchiyamawas a Sōtō priest, origami master, and the former abbot of Antaiji near Kyoto, Japan.The author of more than twenty books on Zen Buddhism and origami—of which Opening the Hand of Thought: Foundations of Zen Buddhist Practice is best-known—Uchiyama graduated from Waseda University with a masters...
, Sōtō priest (b. 1912) - April 20 - Yoshio Inaba, actor (b. 1920)
- May 2 - Matsumoto HidetoHide (musician), better known by his stage name hide , was a popular Japanese musician. He was primarily known for his work as lead guitarist of the heavy metal band X Japan from 1987 to 1997...
(hide), Japanese musician (b. 1964) - May 10 - NekojiruNekojiru, known by the pen name , was a Japanese manga artist.In 1990, she debuted in the June issue of the monthly manga anthology Garo with Nekojiru Udon, which is now considered her definitive work. She committed suicide on May 10, 1998...
, manga artist (b. 1967) - May 19 - Sosuke UnoSosuke Unowas a Japanese politician and the 75th Prime Minister of Japan from June 3, 1989 to August 10, 1989.He was born in Shiga Prefecture and attended the Kobe University of Commerce...
, Prime MinisterPrime Minister of JapanThe is the head of government of Japan. He is appointed by the Emperor of Japan after being designated by the Diet from among its members, and must enjoy the confidence of the House of Representatives to remain in office...
(b. 1922) - August 3 - Reizo KoikeReizo Koikewas a Japanese breaststroke swimmer. He won silver medal for the Men's 200 meter breaststroke in the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles and the bronze medal for the 200 meter breaststroke in the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin...
, breaststroke swimmer (b. 1915) - August 28 - Hirokazu KobayashiHirokazu Kobayashi (aikidoka)was a Japanese aikido teacher and student of the founder of aikido Morihei Ueshiba. In 1970, at the age of 41, he was awarded 8th dan rank. He is the initiator of Kobayashi aikido ....
, aikidoka (b. 1929) - September 6 - Akira KurosawaAkira Kurosawawas a Japanese film director, producer, screenwriter and editor. Regarded as one of the most important and influential filmmakers in the history of cinema, Kurosawa directed 30 filmsIn 1946, Kurosawa co-directed, with Hideo Sekigawa and Kajiro Yamamoto, the feature Those Who Make Tomorrow ;...
, screenwriter, producer, and director (b. 1910) - September 27 - Narita Bryan, racehorse (b. 1991)
- October 12 - Ineko SataIneko Satawas a Japanese communist and feminist author of proletarian literature.-Biography:Born in poverty in Nagasaki to young parents , the family moved to Tokyo when Sata was a child. Her first job was in a caramel factory, before working in restaurants where she befriended writers, including Ryūnosuke...
, communist and feminist author of proletarian literature (b. 1904) - November 1 - Silence SuzukaSilence SuzukaSilence Suzuka Silence Suzuka Silence Suzuka (Japanese : サイレンススズカ, (March 1, 1994 - November 1, 1998) was a Japanese Thoroughbred racehorse who won the Grade I Takarazuka Kinen in 1998.-External links:* *...
, racehorse (b. 1994) - November 5 - Momoko KōchiMomoko KochiMomoko Kōchi was a Japanese actress. She was born in Japan. She is best known for her roles in the original Godzilla, playing the character of Emiko Yamane , & in the Mysterians, playing as Hiroko Iwamoto.- Filmography :* Godzilla * Half...
, actress (b. 1932) - November 18 - Tase Matsunaga, supercentenarian (b. 1884)
- December 1 - Shōji NakayamaShōji Nakayama- Filmography :* Anatahan aka The Saga of Anatahan * * Super Giant *...
, actor (b. 1928) - December 2 - Mikio OdaMikio Odawas a Japanese athlete and the first Japanese Olympic gold medalist. He was the first Asian Olympic champion in an individual event.Oda's main event was triple jump, but he also competed in long jump and high jump, and participated in all three events in the 1924, 1928 and 1932 Summer Olympics...
, athlete (b. 1905) - December 30 - Keisuke KinoshitaKeisuke Kinoshitawas a Japanese film director.Although lesser known internationally than his fellow filmmakers such as Akira Kurosawa , Kenji Mizoguchi and Yasujirō Ozu , Keisuke Kinoshita was nonetheless a household figure at home beloved by audience and critics alike, especially in the forties through the sixties...
, film director (b. 1912)