Kiyomoto Yamashita

James Miki

  • Name: James Miki
  • Native name: ジェームス三木
  • Also Known as: 山下清泉
  • Nationality: Japanese
  • Gender: Male
  • Born: June 10, 1934
  • Died: June 14, 2025
James Miki was a Japanese screenwriter, writer, director, and former singer from Mukden City, Fengtien Province, Manchuria, from where he moved to Ibaraki City, Osaka Prefecture when he was in elementary school.

In the second year of junior high school, his father died suddenly of heart disease. After his father's death, he was planning to take an entrance examination for medical school at the recommendation of his uncle, a doctor, but after entering Osaka Prefectural Ichioka High School, he was enthusiastic about theater. When he was in his second year of high school, his play, which he starred in and directed in his drama club, won the first prize in the Osaka Prefectural High School Drama Contest. During this period, he became an aspiring actor, and when he took the entrance examination for the Haiyuza Theater Company, he passed the competition rate 12 times. In 1953, he dropped out of high school in his third year and moved to Tokyo, where he entered the Haiyuza Theater Company as a fifth-year student.

James married Yamashita Noriko on March 1, 1960. His eldest son is the actor Yamashita Kisuke.

When he was over thirty and his popularity began to decline, he saw a newspaper ad and published his novel, "Soshoku Onpu", in a literary doujinshi. Taking this opportunity, he turned to literary arts and entered the Scenario Research Institute sponsored by the Scenario Writers Association as a research student. Six months later, in 1968, he won the second prize in the 18th Rookie Movie Scenario Contest for his work "Adam no Hoshi". This work caught the eye of film director Nomura Yoshitaro. In 1969, when he was 34, he made his debut as a screenwriter in the movie "Yuzuki".

In 1983, he was hospitalized for a brain tumor, but survived and returned to work.

In 1987, he made a big hit in the taiga drama "Dokuganryu Masamune" and won the highest audience rating in the history of the taiga.

In 1997, he won the Broadcast Culture Fund Award for Screenplay for "Sonzai no Fukaki Nemuri" and "Kenpo Hamada ka".

In 1999, he won the 50th NHK Broadcast Culture Award.

He also works on stage production, novels, and essays. He frequently gives lectures on his experiences with brain tumor at the Constitution of Japan.

On June 14, 2025, he died at the age of 91 due to pneumonia.

(Source: Wikipedia; edited by kisskh) Edit Biography
Screenwriter
Year Title Type Rating
2013 Asaki Yumemishi
Drama
7.4
2012 Hakuouki
Drama
6.7
2011 Kamisama no Nyobo
Drama
10.0
2008 Furusato wo Kudasai
Movie
0.0
2007 Kekkon Dorobo
Drama
0.0
2002 Mayonaka wa Betsu no Kao
Drama
6.0
2000 Aoi Tokugawa Sandai
Drama
8.1
1997 Kumonoe no Aoi Sora
Drama
0.0
1996 Kenpo wa Madaka
Drama
0.0
1995 Hachidai Shogun Yoshimune
Drama
0.0
1994 Sengoku Bushi no Yukyu Kyuka
Drama
0.0
1987 Dokuganryu Masamune
Drama
8.1
1986 Poisson d'Avril
Movie
7.4
1985 Mio Tsukushi
Drama
7.9
1984 Nezumi Kozo Kaito Den
Movie
0.0
1984 Seishun Dorobo Toru to Yukiko
Drama
0.0
1984 Natsufuku no Ibu
Movie
4.0
1983 Matsumoto Seicho Series: Nami no To
Drama
0.0
1981 Kemuri ga me ni Shimiru
Drama
0.0
1976 Koi no Kuchu Buranko
Movie
5.0
1973 Henshin! Ponpokodama
Drama
4.0
Director
Year Title Type Rating
2007 Chuushingura: Youzeiin no Inbou
Drama
0.0
Screenwriter & Director
Year Title Type Rating
1989 Zennin no Joken
Movie
0.0
Movie
Year Title Role Rating
2001 Last Dance: Rikonshiki
Japanese Movie, 2001,
Sato Yasushi (Support Role)
Sato Yasushi
Support Role
0.0
1986 Poisson d'Avril
Japanese Movie, 1986,
[TV moderator] (Support Role)
[TV moderator]
Support Role
7.4
Screenwriter
Year Title Type Rating
2016 Ichinen-han Mate
Special
1.0
2013 Byakkotai: Yabure Zarushatachi
Special
4.6
2010 Shodo Kyoju
Special
2.0
2007 Kaikyo
Special
6.9
2005 Looking Up While Walking: The Sakamoto Kyu Story
Special
5.0
1992 Ganryujima: Kojiro to Musashi
Special
0.0
1983 Tantei Kamizu Kyosuke no Satsujin Suiri 1
Special
0.0
TV Show
Year Title # Role Rating
1951 Kouhaku Uta Gassen
Japanese TV Show, 1951, 75 eps
[Judge] (Ep. 36, 49) (Guest)
75
[Judge] (Ep. 36, 49)
Guest
7.5
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James Miki

Kiyomoto Yamashita
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Details

  • First Name: Kiyomoto
  • Family Name: Yamashita
  • Native name: ジェームス三木
  • Also Known as: 山下清泉
  • Nationality: Japanese
  • Gender: Male
  • Born: June 10, 1934
  • Died: June 14, 2025

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