Momoko Abe (阿部 桃子, Abe Momoko; born 17 September 1994) is a Japanese actress, model and beauty pageant titleholder who…Momoko Abe (阿部 桃子, Abe Momoko; born 17 September 1994) is a Japanese actress, model and beauty pageant titleholder who was crowned Miss Universe Japan 2017 and represented Japan at Miss Universe 2017.
Ikumi Yoshimatsu (吉松 育美, Yoshimatsu Ikumi; born 21 June 1987) is a Japanese actress, stunt woman, book author, opinion…Ikumi Yoshimatsu (吉松 育美, Yoshimatsu Ikumi; born 21 June 1987) is a Japanese actress, stunt woman, book author, opinion leader, social activist and beauty queen who was crowned Miss International 2012 in Okinawa. It was Japan's first Miss International win in the 52-year history of the pageant. In 2014, she was intimidated and criticized by Japanese nationalist and right-wing groups for publicly advocating on behalf of the historical comfort women issues and has been an outspoken leader for women's rights issues. Yoshimatsu started the "STALKER-ZERO" campaign to introduce strict new laws to protect victims of stalking and intimidation in Japan, after becoming the first high-profile woman to go public with her personal experience in an international press conference. She was a featured presenter at Ted Talks where she advocated for stronger laws to protect women in Japan. Ikumi started the Global Student Diplomacy Network in 2015 to connect elementary and middle school classrooms from various countries with each other by Skype for cultural exchange. The first exchange featured special guest Peter Yarrow of Peter, Paul and Mary and the governor of Saga Prefecture, Yasushi Furukawa." She obtained a degree in education and international education at the University of the Sacred Heart in Tokyo, Japan. Ikumi is both an actress and stunt double for Tao Okamoto in three episodes of the HBO series Westworld. She is also acting in Michael Bay's Netflix movie 6 Underground. Ikumi has been cast to star in, and is currently filming the 10 episode of, international action thriller series, LightStinger. Ikumi starred as the lead actress in Nico Santucci's movie Sarogeto, starring alongside Winsor Harmon and Eric Roberts.
Maki Mizuno (水野 真紀, Mizuno Maki; real name Yuki Gotoda (後藤田 由紀, Gotōda Yuki), born as Yuki Enowaki (江野脇 由紀, Enowaki…Maki Mizuno (水野 真紀, Mizuno Maki; real name Yuki Gotoda (後藤田 由紀, Gotōda Yuki), born as Yuki Enowaki (江野脇 由紀, Enowaki Yuki) on 28 March 1970) is a Japanese actress. She has appeared in jidaigeki and contemporary dramas. She has also appeared in the 2004 Godzilla movie Godzilla: Final Wars.
Kimiko Hirata (平田 仁子, Hirata Kimiko, born 1970) is a Japanese climate activist. As a founder of the Kiko Network, a…Kimiko Hirata (平田 仁子, Hirata Kimiko, born 1970) is a Japanese climate activist. As a founder of the Kiko Network, a non-governmental organization, she has campaigned for emissions reductions for more than 20 years. As of December 2022, her grassroots work has led to the cancellation of 17 planned coal-power plants. Hirata also led landmark coal divestment campaigns against Mizuho Financial Group and Mitsubishi UFJ. She currently serves as executive director for the Tokyo-based think tank, Climate Integrate, which focuses on accelerating decarbonization. In 2021, Hirata became the first Japanese woman to be awarded the Goldman Environmental Prize, nicknamed the "Green Nobel". In 2022, she was named to the BBC 100 list of influential women. She holds a PhD in social sciences from Waseda University, and is the author of Climate Change and Politics (2019) in Japanese, and co-author of many books and articles.
Miyako Tanaka (田中 京, Tanaka Miyako; born 20 February 1967) is a former synchronized swimmer from Japan who competed in…Miyako Tanaka (田中 京, Tanaka Miyako; born 20 February 1967) is a former synchronized swimmer from Japan who competed in the 1988 Summer Olympics. Miyako Tanaka-Oulevey is a Japanese sports psychologist, a PhD holder in system design and management, a certified mental training consultant in sports (CMTCS), public speaker, TV sports commentator, author, and a 1988 Seoul Olympics bronze medalist in synchronized swimming, duet. While assisting the US synchronized swimming Olympic head coach for 4 years in the US, she earned a master’s in sports management specializing in sports psychology. Her academically specialized fields are performance enhancement, career transition, and stress coping. She is the author of more than 40 books (including joint works), and routinely gives lectures, seminars or workshops at universities and companies. Olympic and professional Japanese athletes regularly consult with her regarding performance enhancement and career transition. She is a mental coach for Japan's female national soccer team and the male Paralympic wheelchair basketball team. She is also a member of the IOC marketing committee and a member of the certification committee of the Japanese society of sports psychology. Miyako currently lives with her husband and 2 children in Tokyo, Japan.
Mariko Ōhara (大原まり子, Ōhara Mariko; born March 20, 1959 in Osaka, Japan) is a Japanese science fiction writer. She won…Mariko Ōhara (大原まり子, Ōhara Mariko; born March 20, 1959 in Osaka, Japan) is a Japanese science fiction writer. She won the 6th Hayakawa SF Contest in 1980, when she was still a student. Later she published various SF works and became the 10th president of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of Japan. Ōhara is the Winner of the Nihon SF Taisho Award in 1994.
Yūko Nakagawa (中川郁子, Nakagawa Yūko; née Iwata, born 22 December 1958) is a Japanese politician in the Liberal…Yūko Nakagawa (中川郁子, Nakagawa Yūko; née Iwata, born 22 December 1958) is a Japanese politician in the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). She represented Hokkaido in the House of Representatives from 2012 to 2017. Her husband, Shōichi Nakagawa, was also a politician, serving as Minister of Finance of Japan in 2008 and 2009. Nakagawa was born in Niigata Prefecture and graduated from University of the Sacred Heart in 1981. She worked at Mitsubishi for a year until her marriage to Shōichi, and moved to Hokkaido shortly afterward. After Shōichi's death in 2009, Yūko began to get involved in politics. In the 2012 election, she ran in Hokkaido's 11th district against Tomohiro Ishikawa, who had defeated her husband for the position in the last election; she won with 51 percent of the vote. During her time in the House, she served on the Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Committee, and was appointed as parliamentary minister of the committee in 2014. In her role as minister, she spoke out in opposition to the Trans-Pacific Partnership. After being re-elected in the 2014 election, Nakagawa came under controversy in March 2015, when a photograph was released where she was kissing fellow politician Hirofumi Kado; Nakagawa later apologized for the incident, and LDP President Shinzo Abe offered his continued support after the leak. She was challenged by Kaori Ishikawa, Tomohiro's wife, in the 2017 election. She lost, 54.5 to 45.5 percent, and the kiss with Kado was considered by the media to be the primary reason why she was defeated. Nakagawa narrowly regained a seat in the 2021 election. She was defeated in the 2024 election.
Shinako Tsuchiya (土屋 品子, Tsuchiya Shinako; born 2 February 1952) is a Japanese politician serving in the House of…Shinako Tsuchiya (土屋 品子, Tsuchiya Shinako; born 2 February 1952) is a Japanese politician serving in the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature) as a member of the Liberal Democratic Party. A native of Kasukabe, Saitama and graduate of University of the Sacred Heart she was elected for the first time in 1996. Her father is Yoshihiko Tsuchiya, former governor of Saitama Prefecture.
Eriko Yamatani (山谷 えり子, Yamatani Eriko; born September 19, 1950) is a Japanese politician. Her name in official…Eriko Yamatani (山谷 えり子, Yamatani Eriko; born September 19, 1950) is a Japanese politician. Her name in official documents is Eriko Ogawa (小川恵里子, Ogawa Eriko).
Makiko Fujino (藤野 真紀子, Fujino Makiko; born 15 September 1949) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party…Makiko Fujino (藤野 真紀子, Fujino Makiko; born 15 September 1949) is a Japanese politician of the Liberal Democratic Party, a member of the House of Representatives in the Diet (national legislature), representing the 4th District of Aichi Prefecture. A native of Tokyo and graduate of the University of the Sacred Heart, she was elected to the House of Representatives for the first time in 2005. Her husband is Kimitaka Fujino, a member of the House of Councilors in the Diet.
Michiko (美智子; born Michiko Shōda [正田 美智子 Shōda Michiko], 20 October 1934) is a member of the Imperial House of Japan…Michiko (美智子; born Michiko Shōda [正田 美智子 Shōda Michiko], 20 October 1934) is a member of the Imperial House of Japan who has been the Empress Emerita of Japan since 1 May 2019. She was the Empress of Japan as the wife of Akihito, the 125th Emperor of Japan reigning from 7 January 1989 to 30 April 2019. Michiko married Crown Prince Akihito and became Crown Princess of Japan in 1959. She was the first commoner to marry into the Japanese imperial family. She has three children with her husband: Naruhito, Fumihito, and Sayako. Her elder son, Naruhito, is the current emperor. As crown princess and later as empress consort, she has become the most visible and widely travelled imperial consort in Japanese history. Upon Akihito's abdication, Michiko received the new title of Jōkōgō (上皇后), or Empress Emerita.
Ayako Sono (曽野 綾子, Sono Ayako; September 17, 1931 – February 28, 2025) was a Japanese writer. She published numerous…Ayako Sono (曽野 綾子, Sono Ayako; September 17, 1931 – February 28, 2025) was a Japanese writer. She published numerous novels, essays and articles between the 1950s and the early 2020s. Sono was also considered to be nationalist and conservative. She provoked controversy for advocating a system similar to South Africa's apartheid for Japan's immigrants. She also advocated for women to quit their jobs after becoming pregnant.
Teiko Kihira (Japanese: 紀平 悌子, Hepburn: Kihira Teiko; February 2, 1928 – July 19, 2015) was a Japanese politician and…Teiko Kihira (Japanese: 紀平 悌子, Hepburn: Kihira Teiko; February 2, 1928 – July 19, 2015) was a Japanese politician and activist. Kihira was a member of the House of Councilors in Japan. She was involved in the League of Women Voters of Japan where she served in different capacities including vice chair and president of the group.
Sadako Ogata, née Nakamura (緒方 貞子, Ogata Sadako; 16 September 1927 – 22 October 2019), was a Japanese academic…Sadako Ogata, née Nakamura (緒方 貞子, Ogata Sadako; 16 September 1927 – 22 October 2019), was a Japanese academic, diplomat, author, administrator, and professor emerita at the Roman Catholic Sophia University. She was widely known as the head of the office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) from 1991 to 2000, as well as in her capacities as Chair of the UNICEF Executive Board from 1978 to 1979 and as President of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) from 2003 to 2012. She also served as Advisor of the Executive Committee of the Japan Model United Nations (JMUN).
Kazuko Watanabe (Japanese: 渡辺 和子; February 11, 1927 – December 30, 2016) was a Japanese religious sister, educationist…Kazuko Watanabe (Japanese: 渡辺 和子; February 11, 1927 – December 30, 2016) was a Japanese religious sister, educationist, and writer. Her Christian name was Sister Saint John. She was a member of the Sisters of Notre Dame de Namur and served as president of their Notre Dame Seishin University, Okayama Prefecture, from 1963 to 1990.
Yukika Sohma (相馬 雪香, Sōma Yukika; 1912 – November 8, 2008) was a Japanese peace activist and scholar who founded the…Yukika Sohma (相馬 雪香, Sōma Yukika; 1912 – November 8, 2008) was a Japanese peace activist and scholar who founded the Association for Aid and Relief.
Kaori Ishikawa (石川かおり, Ishikawa Kaori; born 10 May 1984) is a member of the Constitutional Democratic Party in the…Kaori Ishikawa (石川かおり, Ishikawa Kaori; born 10 May 1984) is a member of the Constitutional Democratic Party in the House of Representatives, representing Hokkaido's 11th district after being elected for the first time. She was an analyst for Nippon BS Broadcasting before meeting her husband, Tomohiro Ishikawa, with whom she has two children. Ishikawa was born in Yokohama and graduated from the University of the Sacred Heart.
Kazusa Murai (村井 かずさ, Murai Kazusa; born December 28, 1975 in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan) is a Japanese voice…Kazusa Murai (村井 かずさ, Murai Kazusa; born December 28, 1975 in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan) is a Japanese voice actress and narrator affiliated with Haikyō. She is most well known for her voice roles in anime such as Ribon-chan in Trotting Hamtaro, Kazumi Takiura in Devil Lady, Nemu in Haibane Renmei, Saburō and Yamane in Mirmo!, Midori Hinamori in Shugo Chara! and Maria Shibata in Angelic Layer.
