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Best-Known Japanese: Emperor Hirohito, Shinzo Abe and…Who?

The late Emperor Hirohito in Tokyo  in 1988.
Associated Press

A survey of 6,000 people overseas by the Japan Press Research Institute found that Emperor Hirohito and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe are among the best-known Japanese internationally. The rest of the most famous “Japanese” included Americans, an anime character and a former porn star.

The survey, conducted in January and February, asked a variety of questions about Japan in the U.S., England, France, China, South Korea and Thailand.

Actor Pat Morita shows a famous karate pose from the movie “Karate Kid” during the Democratic National Convention in Los Angeles in August 2000.
Associated Press

Asked to name a Japanese person, 62 Americans wrote Emperor Hirohito, posthumously known as Emperor Showa, followed by Miami Marlins outfielder Ichiro Suzuki, who was named by 20 people, and Emperor Akihito, who gathered 18 mentions. Japanese-American actors George Takei and Pat Morita each got four mentions, meaning they tied for seventh.

Emperor Hirohito also topped the list in England and France. There were many artists represented in the French list. Movie directors Hayao Miyazaki and Akira Kurosawa ranked in the top three, while authors Yukio Mishima, Yasunari Kawabata and Haruki Murakami ranked in the top 10. Naruto, a character from a popular manga series, got four mentions and was tied at seventh.

Yoko Ono, right, and John Lennon during an interview in Tokyo in August 1974.
Associated Press

In England, Yoko Ono, wife of the late John Lennon, ranked second with 16 mentions. Former Manchester United soccer player Shinji Kagawa also made the top 10.

Mr. Abe topped the list in China, South Korea and Thailand. In China, former singer–actress Momoe Yamaguchi ranked second with 51 mentions, with ex-porn star Sola Aoi at third with 43. Ms. Aoi tied with actor Takeshi Kaneshiro for second place in Thailand.

Two historical figures ranked high in South Korea, with 68 people mentioning Japan’s first prime minister, Hirobumi Ito, who also served as the resident-general of Korea, at No. 2. He was followed by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, a 16th-century warlord who sent his troops to conquer the Korean peninsula.


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