After receiving a masters of international affairs, Asako joined U.N. Development Program and served as the program manager at the Bureau for Development Policy, specializing in the promotion of gender equity and women’s empowerment. Upon her return to Tokyo, she has been active in mainstreaming gender in Japan’s development assistance policies and programs, working with government, NGOs and research institutions. She is also a visiting professor at Kwansei Gakuin University and a board member of Plan International Japan.