Born in Tokyo in 1948, she joined the Association for Aid and Relief, Japan (AAR) in 1979 and became its Executive Director six months after its establishment.

She was appointed Chairman in July 2009 and received the Minister of Foreign Affairs Award in 1996.

Her picture book, “Please Give Me Flowers, Not Landmines” (text by Fusako Yanase, illustrations by Shoaki Ip), which supports the campaign to ban landmines, won the Japan Picture Book Award (Readers’ Prize). 620,000 copies have already been published. She is currently the Honorary Chairman of the Association for Aid and Relief Japan (AARJapan). She is also a councilor for refugee screening at the Ministry of Justice.