Akira Nishimura (西村 朗 Nishimura Akira, born September 8, 1953 in Osaka, Japan) is a Japanese composer. Nishimura studied composition and musical theory on a graduate course at Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music. He also studied Asian traditional music, religion, aesthetics, cosmology and the heterophonic concepts, all of which have a lasting influence on his music. He has won several national and international awards, including the 36th Suntory Music Award (2004) and has been commissioned by many overseas music festivals. Nishimura was the judge at the 2007 Toru Takemitsu composition award.