# Japan Academy Film Prize for Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role

The Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role (最優秀主演男優賞) of the Japan Academy Film Prize is one of the annual Awards given by the Japan Academy Film Prize Association.

## Winners

| Nr. | Year | Actor | Role(s) | Film |
| 1 | 1978 | Ken Takakura | Yusaku Shima Captain Tokushima | The Yellow Handkerchief Mount Hakkoda |
| 2 | 1979 | Ken Ogata | Sōkichi Takeshita | The Demon |
| 3 | 1980 | Tomisaburo Wakayama | Shuzo Kawase | Oh My Son |
| 4 | 1981 | Ken Takakura | Kōsaku Tajima Keisuke Miyagi | A Distant Cry from Spring Dōran |
| 5 | 1982 | Ken Takakura | Eiji Mikami | Station |
| 6 | 1983 | Mitsuru Hirata | Yasu | Fall Guy |
| 7 | 1984 | Ken Ogata | Tatsuhei Katsuzo Ōta Fusajiro Obama | The Ballad of Narayama The Geisha The Catch |
| 8 | 1985 | Tsutomu Yamazaki | Wabisuke Inoue Sutekichi Tokito | The Funeral Farewell to the Ark |
| 9 | 1986 | Minoru Chiaki | Fuyukichi Takano | Gray Sunset |
| 10 | 1987 | Ken Ogata | Katsura Kazuo | House on Fire |
| 11 | 1988 | Tsutomu Yamazaki | Hideki Gondō | A Taxing Woman |
| 12 | 1989 | Toshiyuki Nishida | Zhu Wangli | The Silk Road |
| 13 | 1990 | Rentarō Mikuni | Ichinosuke Suzuki Sen no Rikyū | Tsuribaka Nisshi Rikyu |
| 14 | 1991 | Ittoku Kishibe | Toshio | The Sting of Death |
| 15 | 1992 | Rentarō Mikuni | Ichinosuke Suzuki Akio Asano | Tsuribaka Nisshi 4 My Sons |
| 16 | 1993 | Masahiro Motoki | Shuhei Yamamoto | Sumo Do, Sumo Don't |
| 17 | 1994 | Toshiyuki Nishida | Mr. Kuroi Densuke Hamasaki | A Class to Remember Tsuribaka Nisshi 6 |
| 18 | 1995 | Kōichi Satō | Tamiya Iemon | Crest of Betrayal |
| 19 | 1996 | Rentarō Mikuni | Ha Shigun | Mitabi no Kaikyō |
| 20 | 1997 | Koji Yakusho | Shohei Sugiyama | Shall We Dance? |
| 21 | 1998 | Koji Yakusho | Takuro Yamashita | The Eel |
| 22 | 1999 | Akira Emoto | Dr. Fuu Akagi | Dr. Akagi |
| 23 | 2000 | Ken Takakura | Otomatsu Satō | Poppoya |
| 24 | 2001 | Akira Terao | Ihei Misawa | After the Rain |
| 25 | 2002 | Yōsuke Kubozuka | Sugihara | Go |
| 26 | 2003 | Hiroyuki Sanada | Seibei Iguchi | The Twilight Samurai |
| 27 | 2004 | Kiichi Nakai | Yoshimura Kanichiro | When the Last Sword Is Drawn |
| 28 | 2005 | Akira Terao | Soichiro Kaji | Half a Confession |
| 29 | 2006 | Hidetaka Yoshioka | Ryunosuke Chagawa | Always: Sunset on Third Street |
| 30 | 2007 | Ken Watanabe | Masayuki Saeki | Memories of Tomorrow |
| 31 | 2008 | Hidetaka Yoshioka | Ryunosuke Chagawa | Always: Sunset on Third Street 2 |
| 32 | 2009 | Masahiro Motoki | Daigo Kobayashi | Departures |
| 33 | 2010 | Ken Watanabe | Hajime Onchi | Shizumanu Taiyō |
| 34 | 2011 | Satoshi Tsumabuki | Yuichi Shimizu | Villain |
| 35 | 2012 | Yoshio Harada | Yoshi Kazamatsuri | Someday |
| 36 | 2013 | Hiroshi Abe | Lucius | Thermae Romae |
| 37 | 2014 | Ryuhei Matsuda | Mitsuya Majime | The Great Passage |
| 38 | 2015 | Junichi Okada | Kyuzo Miyabe | The Eternal Zero |
| 39 | 2016 | Kazunari Ninomiya | Koji Fukuhara | Nagasaki: Memories of My Son |
| 40 | 2017 | Kōichi Satō | Yoshinobu Mikami | 64: Part I |
| 41 | 2018 | Masaki Suda | Shinji Sawamura | Wilderness |
| 42 | 2019 | Koji Yakusho | Shōgo Ōgami | The Blood of Wolves |
| 43 | 2020 | Tori Matsuzaka | Takumi Sugihara | The Journalist |
| 44 | 2021 | Tsuyoshi Kusanagi | Nagisa | Midnight Swan |
| 45 | 2022 | Hidetoshi Nishijima | Yūsuke Kafuku | Drive My Car |
| 46 | 2023 | Satoshi Tsumabuki | Akira Kido | A Man |
| 47 | 2024 | Koji Yakusho | Hirayama | Perfect Days |
| 48 | 2025 | Ryusei Yokohama | Kaburagi | Faceless |

## Multiple wins

The following individuals received two or more Best Actor awards:
| Wins | Actor |
| 4 | Ken Takakura |
| 4 | Koji Yakusho |
| 3 | Rentarō Mikuni |
| 3 | Ken Ogata |
| 2 | Masahiro Motoki |
| 2 | Toshiyuki Nishida |
| 2 | Kōichi Satō |
| 2 | Akira Terao |
| 2 | Satoshi Tsumabuki |
| 2 | Ken Watanabe |
| 2 | Tsutomu Yamazaki |
| 2 | Hidetaka Yoshioka |