Honouring Aiko Tokusue.

Aiko Tokusue was born in Tokyo in 1921. She graduated from the Department of English of Japan Women's University and later from the Graduate School of New York University. She taught for thirty years at Japan Women's University, specializing in American literature, and when she retired in 1990 was appointed Professor Emeritus.

According to her son Mr. Norikazu Tokusue. she had been ill since January of this year, her husband died last year. Norikazu said that "Since my parents had been married for sixty years, it gave my mother a great shock to be left alone.", Every member of the Japan Section knew that she was always a wonderful wife as well as mother.

Out of the home, she made a great contribution to WILPF as well as to JWU. She acted as President of the Japan Section for eleven years in all, also contributed tremendously as vicepresident, treasurer and fund-raiser of WILPF International in Geneva. Under her leadership, the IEC Meeting was held in Japan in 1994. In addition it was through her efforts that we held the Women Meeting Challenges of Economic Globalization Pursuing Alternative Development Strateformed of the work of WILPFers in both Geneva and Japan.

At JWU she acted as Chairperson of the Graduate School and Director of the Library. After her retirement, she continued her work of translation into Japanese: Zora Neal Hurston's Jonah's Gourd Vine (1996), John E.Miller's Becoming Laura Ingalls Wilder (2000), Anthony Holden's William Shakespeare: His Life and Works, which she had almost completed at the time of her death.Her commitment to hard work was indeed remarkable.

Every member of the Japan Section is saddened by the death of Aiko Tokusue. We will miss her Christmas puddings and the New Years's dishes of sweet black beans she used to provide for the first meeting of trustees each January. We shall remember her great contribution to WILPF, spiritual as well as physical, for many years to come.

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

Keiko Izubuchi

President, Japan Section