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Ichikawa Fusae, born on May 15, 1893 in Japan, was the first woman politician to become a member of a Diet who emphatically advocated for women’s suffrage in Japan, as well she was the one who shaped in a considerable way the capacity of women regarding voting rights. The first two decades of the 20th century Japan was witnessing a patriarchal society that restricted mothers to the domestic sphere. In her formative years, and through the beginning of the twentieth century, Japan was a place where mothers were title heads of their families, and a majority only assisted in housekeeping. Ichikawa came from a humble socioeconomic background, her family was considered neither wealthy nor poor but what united them was a never-ending struggle for a better standard of living. However, they placed great value on how their children were brought up and made great efforts to educate them. As for Ichikawa, she had three siblings and exhibited signs of being a social proponent. There was nothing surprising at that time that the majority of the society believed including Ichikawa’s family that house chores and family activities were not less than a lifetime occupation for women.

Ichikawa’s first job after graduating was that of a teacher, and as expected, she experienced firsthand the great gender discrimination in the Japanese education system. She started appreciating the extent to which girls and women were disadvantaged by the education system and society generally. In the 1920s, Ichikawa was among the co-founders of Shin Fujin Kyokai (New Women's Association), which included the feminist Hiratsuka Raicho. At that time, Japanese women were not ever able to elect representatives or be elected to positions of authority. These women were condemned, with only the house as their focus. This achievement created opportunities for many women to engage more actively in public life, because women acquired knowledge on the political situation in the country and current issues. Without a doubt, at that period in history, women suffered not only from harsh societal sexism but also the sexism of the family: the conflicts of expectation against duty. As a woman she was bullied repeatedly by society mainly the men. Of her immense efforts Japanese women were finally granted the right to vote in 1946. This accomplishment was definitely not only the achievement of Ichikawa as an individual but the success of all families and the society that she was part of. It did not take long before her family started to appreciate her efforts and turned from their original disorientation and resistance to comprehending and encouraging her. Ichikawa also held that utmost relevance of gender equality throughout her professional life owing to its role in fostering a healthy democracy. She was among the most important figures in Japanese feminism history as she underwent a tremendous influence of change in Japanese laws and society.