Michiyo Tsujimura

Michiyo Tsujimura (辻村みちよ) was a Japanese agricultural scientist and biochemist known for her pioneering work on green tea components. She was the first woman in Japan to earn a doctoral degree in agriculture.

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Ichiyō Higuchi

Meiji Period writer Ichiyō Higuchi was the first woman in Japan to write modern literature professionally, particularly short stories and poetry, as well as extensive diary accounts.

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Sei Shōnagon

Poet and author Sei Shōnagon was a court lady who served the Empress Teishi (Sadako) around the year 1000 during the middle Heian period. She is the author of The Pillow Book (枕草子, makura no sōshi), a collection of essays, anecdotes, poems and descriptive passages  inspired by moments in her daily life.

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Dr Reiko Homma True

A leading advocate for culturally sensitive mental health care, Dr. Reiko Homma True is dedicated to improving mental health treatment for the Asian-American community and other minority populations. She is a devoted mentor who has worked hard to support other Asian-American women pursuing careers in psychology.

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Lani Ka’ahumanu

Lani Ka’ahumanu, a leader of the bisexual rights movement in the U.S., has worked for greater visibility for bisexuals both within the LGBTQ movement as well as broader society. An author, community organizer, and health advocate, she has been a driving force behind the fight against biphobia since 1980.

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Kinue Hitomi

Japanese track and field athlete Kinue Hitomi held world records in several events in the 1920s and ’30s and was the first Japanese woman to win an Olympic medal, as well as the first woman to represent Japan at the Olympics.

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