Events
- 1993 - Sumitomo Chemical's resin plant in Nihama explodes killing one worker and injuring three others.
- 2006 - North Korea tests four short-range missiles, one medium-range missile, and a long-range Taepodong-2. The long-range Taepodong-2 reportedly fails in mid-air over the Sea of Japan/East Sea.
Births
- 1330 - Ashikaga Yoshiakira (d. 1367), shogun
- 1973 - Gackt, singer-songwriter, producer, and actor
- 1973 - Keiko Ihara, race car driver
- 1976 - Daijiro Kato (d. 2003), motorcycle racer
- 1984 - Jin Akanishi, singer-songwriter and actor
- 1986 - Takahisa Masuda, singer and actor
- 1990 - Naoki Yamada, footballer
- 1996 - Mahiro Takasugi, actor
- 1999 - Moa Kikuchi, singer and model
Film and television
- 2001 - Fighting Girl begins airing on Fuji Television, starring Kyoko Fukada
- 2006 - Kekkon Dekinai Otoko begins airing on Kansai Telecasting Corporation, starring Hiroshi Abe
- 2008 - Maō begins airing on Tokyo Broadcasting System, starring Satoshi Ohno and Toma Ikuta