1961 in Japan

Incumbents

• Emperor: Hirohito
• Prime minister: Hayato Ikeda

  Events

• January unknown date - Credit card brand JCB was founded.
• February 10 - Unicharm has founded.
• June to July - After a long period of torrential rain, cliff collapses and debris flows hit the Tenryū River area, Nagano Prefecture, according to Fire and Disaster Management Agency of Japan, official confirmed report, total 357 fatalities and 1,320 were injured nationwide.
• August 19 - A magnitude 6.8 earthquake hit the border between Fukui, Ishikawa and Gifu Prefecture, according to Fire and Disaster Management Agency official confirmed repart, 8 fatalities, 43 were wounded.
• September 17 - A superpower typhoon Nancy hit in western Japan, a storm surge occurred in Osaka Bay area, according to Fire and Disaster Management Agency of Japan, official confirmed report, 202 people lost their lives, 4,974 people were wounded nationwide.
• October 26 - An accident occurred in which a suburban train was involved in a landslide caused by torrential rain and buried in Oita to Beppu line in Oita Prefecture, according to Fire and Disaster Management Agency of Japan, official confirmed report, 31 people lost their lives and 36 people were injured.
• December 13 - Ōtsuka Shōkai Corporation was founded.

  Births

• January 31 - Mako Ishino, singer and actress
• February 6 - Yuko Kobayashi, voice actress
• March 4 - Atsuko Asano, actress
• March 7 - Sanae Takaichi, politician and cabinet minister
• April 29 - Fumihiko Tachiki, voice actor
• May 10 - Ayako Fuji, enka singer
• June 17 - Kōichi Yamadera, voice actor
• July 14 - Keiko Saito, actress
• August 16 - Urara Takano, voice actress
• September 21 - Yumi Takada, voice actress
• October 20 - Michie Tomizawa, voice actress and singer
• November 21 - Maria Kawamura, voice actress
• December 24 - Eriko Kitagawa, screenwriter and director

  Deaths

• January 16 - Roppa Furukawa, film actor
• July 23 - Shigeko Higashikuni, previously "Shigeko, Princess Teru", eldest child of Emperor Shōwa
• September 21 - Koji Uno, writer
• October 18 - Tsuru Aoki, actress