Here are 9 famous actors from Japan were born in 1940:
Masahiko Tsugawa (January 2, 1940 Nakagyō-ku, Kyoto-) also known as Mashiko Sawamura, Masahiko Katô, Masahiko Sawamura, Masahiko Makino, Makino Masahiko, Kato Tsugawa Paradis, Tsugawa Masahiko, Katō Masahiko, マキノ雅彦, マキノ まさひこ or Masahiko Kato is a Japanese actor and film director. His child is called Mayuko.
Tsugawa began his career in the entertainment industry in the late 1950s and has since appeared in countless television dramas, films, and stage productions. He is renowned for his versatility as an actor and has played a wide range of characters, from dramatic roles to comedic ones.
In addition to acting, Tsugawa has also directed several films and TV dramas, including the popular Japanese TV series "Oshin". He has received numerous awards throughout his career, including the Japan Academy Prize for Best Supporting Actor in 1988 and the Medal of Honor with Purple Ribbon in 2006.
Off-screen, Tsugawa is passionate about traditional Japanese culture and is known for his expertise in tea ceremony and calligraphy. He has also published several books on these subjects.
Tsugawa's daughter, Mayuko, is also an actress and television personality, having appeared in several popular Japanese dramas and variety shows.
Read more about Masahiko Tsugawa on Wikipedia »
Yoshio Harada (February 29, 1940 Adachi-July 19, 2011 Tokyo) also known as Harada Yoshio was a Japanese actor. He had two children, Mayu Harada and Kenta Harada.
Harada began his acting career in 1961 and gained recognition in the 1980s and 1990s for his roles in popular Japanese films, such as "The Emperor's Naked Army Marches On" in 1987 and "Sumo Do, Sumo Don't" in 1992. He won several awards for Best Supporting Actor, including the Japan Academy Prize for "Warm Water Under a Red Bridge" in 2002. Harada was also a stage actor and director, and founded his own theater company in 1989. He continued to act in both film and theater until his death in 2011 at age 71.
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Yūji Fujishiro (February 26, 1940 Chiba Prefecture-) also known as Fujishiro Yūji or Yûji Fujishiro is a Japanese voice actor and actor.
He began his career as a voice actor in the 1960s, and has since lent his voice to numerous popular anime and video game characters. Some of his notable roles include Ikkyu in "Ikkyu-san", Daisuke Jigen in "Lupin III", and Professor Hiroshi Agasa in "Detective Conan". Fujishiro has also done voice acting work for foreign films and TV series that are dubbed in Japanese. Apart from his voice acting work, he has also acted in live-action films and dramas throughout his career. In 1999, he received the Best Supporting Actor award at the 23rd Japan Academy Prize ceremony.
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Eiji Bandō (April 5, 1940 Manchukuo-) also known as Bandō Eiji is a Japanese actor and baseball player.
He played in the Japanese professional baseball league for the Nankai Hawks before turning to acting in 1966. Bandō has appeared in numerous television dramas, stage productions, and films, including the internationally acclaimed movie Battle Royale. He has won several awards for his performances, including a Best Supporting Actor award at the Japan Academy Prize in 2009. In addition to his acting career, Bandō is also known for his philanthropic work, particularly his support for children with cancer. He has been recognized for his contributions, receiving honorary citizenship and various awards from local governments in Japan.
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Hiroshi Arikawa (November 2, 1940 Kagoshima Prefecture-October 16, 2011 Komae) was a Japanese actor and voice actor.
He began his acting career in the 1960s and appeared in numerous Japanese television dramas and films. Arikawa was also a prolific voice actor and lent his voice to a variety of characters in anime series, video games, and dubbing work for foreign films. Some of his notable roles include Chiyonosuke Azuma in "Touch" and "Cross Game", as well as Tubalcain Alhambra in "Hellsing". Throughout his career, Arikawa received several accolades including the Best Supporting Actor Award at the 17th Japan Academy Prize for his work in the film "A Taxing Woman". Arikawa passed away in 2011 at the age of 70.
Read more about Hiroshi Arikawa on Wikipedia »
Kei Yamamoto (July 1, 1940 Ibaraki-) also known as やまもと けい, 山本 圭 or Yamamoto Kei is a Japanese actor.
He began his acting career in the 1960s and soon became a prominent figure in Japanese cinema, appearing in numerous films throughout the decades. Yamamoto is also a skilled singer and has released several albums, performing a wide range of genres including pop, rock, and enka. In addition to his work in entertainment, he is also a philanthropist and has supported various charitable causes throughout his career. Yamamoto is recognized as one of the most influential and respected actors in Japanese cinema, and he continues to be active in the industry today.
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Toshiyuki Hosokawa (December 15, 1940 Kokura-January 14, 2011 Tokyo) also known as 細川 俊之 or Hosokawa Toshiyuki was a Japanese actor. His child is called .
Toshiyuki Hosokawa was born in Kokura, Japan on December 15, 1940. He started his career in 1959 as a stage actor and later ventured into television and film. He is known for his roles in popular Japanese dramas such as "Oshin", "Mito Komon", and "Takeda Shingen".
Throughout his career, Hosokawa appeared in over 100 films and television dramas, earning him numerous awards and recognition in the Japanese entertainment industry. He was also a respected voice actor and narrated several documentaries and commercials.
In his personal life, Hosokawa had one child, a son who followed in his footsteps and became an actor himself. Hosokawa passed away on January 14, 2011 in Tokyo, leaving behind a legacy as one of Japan's most beloved actors.
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Masanari Nihei (December 4, 1940 Nagatachō, Tokyo-) also known as Masanori Nihei, Masanari Jihei or Masaya Nihei is a Japanese actor.
He debuted in the entertainment industry in the mid-1960s and has appeared in numerous TV dramas, films, and stage productions throughout his career. Nihei is particularly known for his roles in historical dramas and jidaigeki, or period dramas, portraying samurai and other prominent figures of feudal Japan. He has also won several awards for his performances, including the Best Supporting Actor award at the Japan Academy Awards in 1998. Despite being in his 80s, Nihei continues to act and is widely respected for his contributions to the Japanese entertainment industry.
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Toshihiko Kojima (August 10, 1940 Chiba Prefecture-) is a Japanese actor and voice actor.
Kojima began his acting career in the late 1960s appearing in several films and television shows. He gained popularity in Japan and internationally for his voice acting work in anime, lending his voice to several iconic characters including Captain Hook in "Peter Pan and the Pirates", Dr. Eggman in "Sonic X", and Dr. Hell in "Mazinger Z". He has also provided voice-overs for Japanese dubs of Hollywood films such as "The Terminator" and "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom". In addition to his voice acting work, Kojima has also appeared in several Japanese dramas and films. He has received numerous awards for his contributions to the entertainment industry including the Achievement Award at the 3rd Seiyū Awards in 2009.
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