The question of who the most famous Japanese person in the world is can be fun to debate. In previous eras the honor went to men like film director Akira Kurosawa, “Sukiyaki Song” creator Kyu Sakamoto, or composer Ryuichi Sakamoto. Novelist Yukio Mishima was another Japanese persona who enjoyed widespread fame in his day, and he had what has to be one of the most unique deaths in the 20th century, trying to inspire a pro-Emperor coup d’etat among Japan’s military then committing ritual disembowelment (Seppuku) when it didn’t work out. So who is the most famous Japanese person in the world today? The answer will depend a lot on who you ask. Anime fans might pick animation director Hayao Miyazaki, while sports fans might choose pro golfer Ryo Ishikawa, and Hollywood superstar Ken Watanabe would also be a good candidate, especially with the success of Inception. But you never know who will be the most famous Japanese person among different groups. For example, in Indonesia the honor goes to saucy JAV film starlet Maria Ozawa, who is a household name in the country, for some reason.
Who do you think is the most famous Japanese person in the world?
