Tsuneko Sasamoto

Japan's first female photojournalist who broke gender barriers in media

Born in 1914, Tsuneko Sasamoto revolutionized Japanese journalism through her lens. When women were expected to become housewives, she joined the Tokyo Nichi Nichi Shimbun in 1940 as the country's first professional female photojournalist.

Her most groundbreaking work documented:

• Post-war reconstruction of Hiroshima
• Secret interviews with A-bing survivors
• Imperial family events from unique angles

At age 97, she survived the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and created a photo series about disaster recovery. She continued working past 100 years old, publishing Hinata ni Saku: 101-sai no Message (Blooming in the Sun: Messages at 101) featuring portraits of centenarians.