Chiharu Kawai is a Japanese actress and voice actress born on April 22, 1973 in Hakodate, Hokkaido, Japan. She is affiliated with the talent agency Office Walker. In addition to her work as a performer, she has also worked as a singer.

Kawai began her entertainment career in the late 1990s, with one of her early television appearances being in the drama series Please Demon! from 1993. She made her film debut in 2000. While she has appeared in numerous live-action films and television dramas, she has also taken on voice acting roles in anime. In the year 2000, she provided the voice for the main character Hero Hero-kun in the anime series Hero Hero-kun. Her voice acting work also includes a supporting role in the series MPD Psycho, specifically in the entry title Multi人格 Psycho ~Amaro Kazuhiko no Kikan.

Throughout her career, Kawai has built a substantial resume in live-action cinema, with notable film appearances including Returner from 2002, Love My Life and The Midnight Girls from 2006, LoveDeath and Carved in 2007, and Mutant Girls Squad in 2010. In the horror film Carved, also known as Kuchisake-onna, she played the role of Mayumi Sasaki. Her television drama credits include guest roles in series such as Furuhata Ninzaburō, Trick, and Shin Megami Tensei Devil Summoner. She also appeared in the second season of the long-running detective drama Aibō.