Born: 26 May 1967, Japan
Died: 20 August 2012
Country most active: International
Also known as: 山本美香, Yamamoto Mika
The following bio was written by Emma Rosen, author of On This Day She Made History: 366 Days With Women Who Shaped the World and This Day In Human Ingenuity & Discovery: 366 Days of Scientific Milestones with Women in the Spotlight, and has been republished with permission.
In 2012, Mika Yamamoto (山本美香, Yamamoto Mika) died while reporting on the Syrian Civil War in Aleppo, Syria.
She was born on May 26, 1967, and was a respected Japanese video and photojournalist affiliated with Japan Press.
In 2004, she was honored with the Vaughn-Uyeda Memorial Prize by the Japanese Newspaper Publishers and Editors Association for her insightful international reporting. Her legacy stands as a symbol of unwavering dedication and courage in the field of journalism.
On this day in 2012, Yamamoto, accompanied by her Japanese colleague and partner, photographer Kazutaka Sato, was traveling with Free Syrian Army fighters when an attack occurred in Aleppo. She sustained severe injuries in the Suleiman al Halabi district amid clashes between the Syrian opposition and pro-government forces. According to Sato, her passing took place as pro-government troops emerged, engaging in what he described as “random shooting.” She later succumbed to gunshot wounds to her neck at a nearby hospital. A rebel fighter offered an alternative account, attributing her death to shelling by pro-government forces.
Autopsy results revealed that Yamamoto suffered trauma from gunshot wounds to her neck and torso, despite wearing a bullet-proof vest.
On August 23, 2012, Yamamoto’s body was transported from Kilis to Istanbul. Her two sisters and nephew traveled to Istanbul, accompanying her remains back to Japan on August 25. A funeral ceremony, attended by around 800 people, was held in Tsuru, her parents’ residence, on August 27.