Riko Koike (Japanese: 小池 理子, Hepburn: Koike Riko; born 1 January 1991) is a Japanese voice actress from Fukui, Fukui…Riko Koike (Japanese: 小池 理子, Hepburn: Koike Riko; born 1 January 1991) is a Japanese voice actress from Fukui, Fukui Prefecture, affiliated with Millennium Pro. Inspired by the 1994 film Mobile Fighter G Gundam, her voice acting career began in 2015 when she voiced Paru in Chain Chronicle, and she has also starred as Caracal in Kemono Friends 2 and Myamu in Waccha PriMagi!.
Satoko Ito (伊藤 聡子, Itō Satoko; born 3 July 1967) is a Japanese television tarento and news anchor. She is a visiting…Satoko Ito (伊藤 聡子, Itō Satoko; born 3 July 1967) is a Japanese television tarento and news anchor. She is a visiting professor of the Graduate Institute for Entrepreneurial Studies. She is represented by Sankei.
Masae Ido (井戸 正枝, Ido Masae; born Masae Ogata; 13 December 1965) is a Japanese politician who is a member of the House…Masae Ido (井戸 正枝, Ido Masae; born Masae Ogata; 13 December 1965) is a Japanese politician who is a member of the House of Representatives. She is a member of the Democratic Party For the People. She is a former member of the Hyōgo Prefectural Assembly.
Koharu Kisaragi (Japanese: 如月小春; February 19, 1956 – December 19, 2000) was a Japanese playwright, director, and…Koharu Kisaragi (Japanese: 如月小春; February 19, 1956 – December 19, 2000) was a Japanese playwright, director, and essayist. The founder of the theater company NOISE, she worked as a playwright and director starting in the late 1970s, becoming, alongside Hideki Noda and Eri Watanabe, one of the leaders of the Third Generation of Japanese small theater. She had a lasting influence on contemporary Japanese women's theater. Kisaragi was also a prolific essayist and appeared on television as a host and commentator. She served as the founding chair of the Asian Women's Theater Conference, as a member of UNESCO's Japanese National Commission, and as an instructor at Rikkyo University.
Keiko Takeshita (竹下景子 Takeshita Keiko; born on September 15, 1953, in Higashi-ku, Nagoya, Japan) is a Japanese actress.…Keiko Takeshita (竹下景子 Takeshita Keiko; born on September 15, 1953, in Higashi-ku, Nagoya, Japan) is a Japanese actress. She starred in the Japanese version of From Up on Poppy Hill as Hana Matsuzaki.
Satoko Kizaki (木崎 さと子, Kizaki Satoko; born November 6, 1939) is a Japanese novelist. She is best known for The Phoenix…Satoko Kizaki (木崎 さと子, Kizaki Satoko; born November 6, 1939) is a Japanese novelist. She is best known for The Phoenix Tree (Aogiri), which won the 1985 Akutagawa Prize.
Akiko Dōmoto (堂本 暁子, Dōmoto Akiko; born July 31, 1932) is a Japanese politician. She was the governor of Chiba…Akiko Dōmoto (堂本 暁子, Dōmoto Akiko; born July 31, 1932) is a Japanese politician. She was the governor of Chiba Prefecture in Japan from 2001 to 2009. A graduate of Tokyo Woman's Christian University and Seisen Junior and Senior High School, she was the first female governor of Chiba and the third in Japanese history. She was first elected in 2001. In September 2001 she canceled a controversial plan to reclaim the Sanbanze wetlands as landfill. Historian Jeff Kingston called this act "a major victory for activists."
Sawako Ariyoshi (有吉 佐和子 Ariyoshi Sawako, 20 January 1931 – 30 August 1984) was a Japanese writer, known for such works…Sawako Ariyoshi (有吉 佐和子 Ariyoshi Sawako, 20 January 1931 – 30 August 1984) was a Japanese writer, known for such works as The Doctor's Wife and The River Ki. She was known for her advocacy of social issues, such as the elderly in Japanese society, and environmental issues. Several of her novels describe the relationships between mothers and their daughters. She also had a fascination with traditional Japanese arts, such as kabuki and bunraku. She also described racial discrimination in the United States, something she experienced firsthand during her time at Sarah Lawrence, and the depopulation of remote Japanese islands during the 1970s economic boom.
Chimako Tada (多田智満子, Tada Chimako; April 1, 1930 – January 23, 2003) was a Japanese poet renowned for her surreal style…Chimako Tada (多田智満子, Tada Chimako; April 1, 1930 – January 23, 2003) was a Japanese poet renowned for her surreal style and evocation of women's experience in post-war Japan. She authored more than 15 books of Japanese poetry, and also translated prose and poetry from French. Tada wrote in traditional styles, such as tanka and haiku, as well as contemporary prose poetry.
Shimako Murai (村井 志摩子, Murai Shimako; 12 July 1928 – 9 May 2018) was a Japanese playwright. She was born in Hiroshima…Shimako Murai (村井 志摩子, Murai Shimako; 12 July 1928 – 9 May 2018) was a Japanese playwright. She was born in Hiroshima, but was not in the city on the day of the atomic bombings. She lost many friends in the bombing, and her profound sense of guilt led her to devote most of her life to producing plays connected with the Hiroshima bombings. She felt a strong affinity with the architect Jan Letzel, who had designed the Hiroshima Prefectural Commercial Exhibition building, which — by a stroke of luck — somehow survived the atomic bomb's blast, and thereby became the famous A-bomb dome. Letzel was Czech, and Murai decided to study in Prague. She translated various works between Czech and Japanese, including the first Japanese renditions of plays by Josef Topol, Václav Havel and Milan Kundera, and opera by Smetana and Janáček. For this work she won the 1968 Kinokuniya Theatre Award. Later her own plays were performed and won awards throughout Japan, as well as in Maui (Hawaii), the Avignon Festival and the Edinburgh Fringe, starring actresses such as Mahō Shibuki (ex Takarazuka), Takajō Miki (ex SKD=Shochiku Kageki Dan) and Kurihara Chieko (JMDB). She was married to Kuzui Kinshirō (ja:葛井欣士郎), a film producer and manager of the alternative Art Theatre Shinjuku Bunka during the 1960s and early 1970s. She died on 9 May 2018, at her home in Shinjuku.
Hanae Mori (Japanese: 森 英恵, Hepburn: Mori Hanae; , 8 January 1926 – 11 August 2022) was a Japanese fashion designer.…Hanae Mori (Japanese: 森 英恵, Hepburn: Mori Hanae; , 8 January 1926 – 11 August 2022) was a Japanese fashion designer. She was one of only two Japanese women to have presented her collections on the runways of Paris and New York, and the first Asian woman to be admitted as an official haute couture design house by the Fédération française de la couture in France. Her fashion house, opened in Japan in 1951, grew to become a $500 million international business by the 1990s.
Michiko Nagai (永井路子, Nagai Michiko); (March 31, 1925 – January 27, 2023) was a Japanese historical fiction writer. Her…Michiko Nagai (永井路子, Nagai Michiko); (March 31, 1925 – January 27, 2023) was a Japanese historical fiction writer. Her real name is Hiroko Kuroita (黒板擴子, Kuroita Hiroko).
Miyeko O Murase (村瀬実惠子 Murase Miyeko 27 April 1924 – 12 February 2025) was a Japanese art historian, curator, and…Miyeko O Murase (村瀬実惠子 Murase Miyeko 27 April 1924 – 12 February 2025) was a Japanese art historian, curator, and scholar known for her work on classical Japanese painting, particularly narrative handscrolls (emakimono), folding screens (byōbu), and calligraphy. She was the Takeo and Itsuko Atsumi Professor of Japanese Art at Columbia University and served for a decade as Special Consultant for Japanese Art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
Jakucho Setouchi (15 May 1922 – 9 November 2021; born Harumi Mitani), formerly known as Harumi Setouchi, was a Japanese…Jakucho Setouchi (15 May 1922 – 9 November 2021; born Harumi Mitani), formerly known as Harumi Setouchi, was a Japanese Buddhist nun, writer, and activist. Setouchi wrote a best-selling translation of The Tale of Genji and over 400 fictional biographical and historical novels. In 1997, she was honoured as a Person of Cultural Merit, and in 2006, she was awarded the Order of Culture of Japan.
Shi Yongfen (Chinese: 史永芬; pinyin: Shǐ Yǒngfēn; 27 June 1921 – 27 August 1999), known professionally as Bai Guang…Shi Yongfen (Chinese: 史永芬; pinyin: Shǐ Yǒngfēn; 27 June 1921 – 27 August 1999), known professionally as Bai Guang (Chinese: 白光; pinyin: Bái Guāng; lit. 'White Light'; also credited as Pai Kwong, Bai Kwong and Bai Kwang), was a Chinese actress and singer. By the 1940s, she became one of the Seven Great Singing Stars.
Tenkōkō Sonoda (園田 天光光, Sonoda Tenkōkō; 23 January 1919 – 29 January 2015) was a Japanese politician who was a member…Tenkōkō Sonoda (園田 天光光, Sonoda Tenkōkō; 23 January 1919 – 29 January 2015) was a Japanese politician who was a member of the Japanese Diet from 1946–1952. In 1950, she became the first woman in Japanese political history to have a baby while in office.
Nobuko Takahashi (高橋展子, Takahashi Nobuko; April 19, 1916 – September 15, 1990) was the Japanese ambassador to Denmark…Nobuko Takahashi (高橋展子, Takahashi Nobuko; April 19, 1916 – September 15, 1990) was the Japanese ambassador to Denmark from 1980 until 1983. Takahashi was the first female ambassador to Denmark from Japan. She “signed the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, which was the key international convention of the United Nations Decade for Women” in 1980.
Sachiko Murase (村瀬 幸子, Murase Sachiko; 21 March 1905 – 9 October 1993) was a Japanese stage and film actress. She…Sachiko Murase (村瀬 幸子, Murase Sachiko; 21 March 1905 – 9 October 1993) was a Japanese stage and film actress. She appeared in about 90 films between 1927 and 1991, often under the direction of Hiroshi Shimizu and Keisuke Kinoshita, and received numerous awards for her stage and film performances.
Tatsuko Hoshino (星野 立子, Hoshino Tatsuko; 15 November 1903 – 3 March 1984) was a Japanese haiku poet active in Shōwa…Tatsuko Hoshino (星野 立子, Hoshino Tatsuko; 15 November 1903 – 3 March 1984) was a Japanese haiku poet active in Shōwa period Japan.
Shiho Sakanishi (Japanese: 坂西 志保; 1896–1976) was a Japanese critic, essayist, academic, translator, author, and…Shiho Sakanishi (Japanese: 坂西 志保; 1896–1976) was a Japanese critic, essayist, academic, translator, author, and librarian. She was the first Japanese citizen to serve as a librarian at the Library of Congress and was a notable critic of the role of women in Japanese society.
Ichiko Ima (今 市子, Ima Ichiko; born April 11 in Himi, Toyama, Japan) is a Japanese manga artist. She is known for her…Ichiko Ima (今 市子, Ima Ichiko; born April 11 in Himi, Toyama, Japan) is a Japanese manga artist. She is known for her long-running horror manga series Beyond Twilight, serialized since 1995. Blending Japanese folklore with lyrical storytelling and subtle social critique, the series has been critically acclaimed. Ima's work is noted for its delicate visual style, gender-fluid characters, and feminist reinterpretations of horror. She is also an established author in the boys' love genre.
Mikako Tabe (多部 未華子, Tabe Mikako; born January 25, 1989) is a Japanese actress from Nishitokyo, Tokyo. Starting acting…Mikako Tabe (多部 未華子, Tabe Mikako; born January 25, 1989) is a Japanese actress from Nishitokyo, Tokyo. Starting acting in her teens with a role in the Sailor Moon musicals, she has developed into a lead actress in film and television, playing the heroine in the Asadora Tsubasa, starring in TV comedy series such Yasuko to Kenji and Deka Wanko, and playing the lead in films such as Kimi ni Todoke and Piece of Cake.
Yuko Kishida (岸田 裕子, Kishida Yūko; née Wada; born 15 August 1964) is the wife of the former Prime Minister of Japan…Yuko Kishida (岸田 裕子, Kishida Yūko; née Wada; born 15 August 1964) is the wife of the former Prime Minister of Japan, Fumio Kishida.
Nonoka Ōbuchi (大渕 野々花, Ōbuchi Nonoka; born March 13, 2000) is a Japanese singer, actress, and voice actress who is…Nonoka Ōbuchi (大渕 野々花, Ōbuchi Nonoka; born March 13, 2000) is a Japanese singer, actress, and voice actress who is affiliated with E-Stone Music and Voice Kit. She initially began her entertainment activities as a child actress, before being a part of the dance and music unit Flowlight from 2017 to 2018. She made her debut as a solo artist in 2024 with the release of her single "Shuku Somete Shinzō", the title track being used as the ending theme to the anime television series Mysterious Disappearances. She is also active as an actress and voice actress, appearing in the stage play adaptation of Lycoris Recoil and the anime series I'm a Behemoth in 2025.
Maria Yamamoto (山本 麻里安, Yamamoto Maria) is a Japanese voice actress and singer formerly with I'm Enterprise and now…Maria Yamamoto (山本 麻里安, Yamamoto Maria) is a Japanese voice actress and singer formerly with I'm Enterprise and now affiliated with 81 Produce.
Marie Kondo (近藤 麻理恵, Kondō Marie; pronounced [kondoː maɾie], born 9 October 1984), also known as Konmari (こんまり), is a…Marie Kondo (近藤 麻理恵, Kondō Marie; pronounced [kondoː maɾie], born 9 October 1984), also known as Konmari (こんまり), is a Japanese organizing consultant, author, and TV presenter. Kondo has written four books on organizing, which have collectively sold millions of copies around the world. Her books have been translated from Japanese into several languages, and her book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up (2011) has been published in more than 30 countries. It was a best-seller in Japan and in Europe, and was published in the United States in 2014. In 2015 she was named to the TIME 100 list of the world's most influential people. In the United States and the United Kingdom, the profile of Kondo and her methods were greatly promoted by the success of the Netflix series Tidying Up with Marie Kondo, released in 2019, which gained Kondo a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Host for a Reality or Competition Program. Kondo opened an online store called KonMari the same year. In August 2021, Netflix released a follow-up show, Sparking Joy with Marie Kondo.