PROFILE

Displaying talent as a child, she moved to the US by herself as a high school student to train in artistic swimming (formerly called synchronized swimming). When she joined the Japanese national team, she was the first female flag-bearer ever at the Olympic Games in Seoul, and won bronze medals in the solo and duet categories. She reigned as the queen of synchronized swimming in Japan, but took time off to expand her range of activities outside the pool, such as taking part in the bid to bring the Olympics to Nagano. She returned to swimming to aim for the Barcelona Games and was on the national team, but did not have the opportunity to perform during the matches and retired after the Games.
She was the first private citizen ever to attend the United Nations General Assembly and has been appointed to numerous important Olympics- and education-related positions. While busy with international activities such as reporting at the World Championships and serving as a bid ambassador for Tokyo 2020, she disseminates the appeal of artistic swimming at a club where she works as a coach.