Harada Named 1st Woman to Lead Japan’s Antarctic Expedition

Jiji Press

15:08 JST, October 31, 2023

TOKYO (Jiji Press) — Naomi Harada, professor at the University of Tokyo’s Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, was named the first female chief of a Japanese research expedition to Antarctica on Monday.

Harada, 56, will head Japan’s 66th Antarctic research expedition.

She was a summer team member of the 33rd expedition and deputy chief of the 60th expedition, when she became the country’s first woman to become a deputy leader of an Antarctic expedition.

A native of Obihiro, Hokkaido, Harada joined what is now the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology in 1995 before switching to the University of Tokyo last year.

She analyzes marine sediment and plankton for climate change research.

“As the person to make the final decision, I want to build relationships of trust with expedition members before our departure so that they will be able to rely on me,” Harada said.