Kiyoshi Nishikawa

Kiyoshi Nishikawa (西川きよし, Nishikawa Kiyoshi; born 2 July 1946) is a Japanese comedian, actor, and former politician.

Kiyoshi Nishikawa
西川 きよし
Nishikawa in 2018
Member of the House of Councillors
In office 8 July 1986 – 25 July 2004
Preceded by	Taro Nakayama
Succeeded by	Issei Kitagawa
Constituency	Osaka at-large
Personal details
Born	西川 潔 (1946-07-02) 2 July 1946 (age 79) Kōchi City, Kōchi, Japan
Political party	Dainiin Club
Spouse	Helen Nishikawa ​ (m. 1967)​
Occupation	Comedian, actor
Same year/generation as: Kinichi Hagimoto Danshi Tatekawa

Comedy career

Nishikawa trained to be a comedian under Kin Ishii, and became a student at Yoshimoto Shinkigeki (a comedy troupe run by Yoshimoto Kogyo) in 1964.^[1] In 1966, he formed a manzai duo with Yasushi Yokoyama, and rose to fame,^[1] the pair eventually becoming one of the leaders of the manzai boom of the early 1980s.^[2] The pair won the Kamigata Manzai Grand Prize three times in 1970, 1977, and 1980.^[3]

Political career

Nishikawa served in Japan's House of Councillors for three terms between 1986 and 2004 as an independent, representing the Osaka district.^[1] He came first all three times he stood for office, with more than one million votes.^[4] Nishikawa resumed his entertainment career after 2004.

Personal life

Nishikawa's wife is Helen Nishikawa. They married in 1967 when she was a top actress in Yoshimoto Shinkigeki and he still an up-and-coming comedian.^[5]

Filmography

Film

• The 47 Ronin in Debt (2019)

Television

• Massan (NHK, 2014–15)
• Warotenka (NHK, 2017–18)

Honours

• Person of Cultural Merit (2020)