Mitsue Ikeda

Mitsue Ikeda (born Mitsue Ikeda, January 15, 1912 – January 9, 2001) was a Japanese politician and the wife of Hayato Ikeda. She was originally from Takehara City, Hiroshima Prefecture (which was then part of the current Takehara City area).

## Life and Family Background

Mitsue Ikeda was born as the second daughter of Dr. Shirokichi Onuki. Her older brother, Shūrō Onuki, was an Army Second Lieutenant and military doctor, and after graduating from the former Takuboku Middle School and Chiba Medical College, he became a private practitioner in Takehara after the war.

While attending Yamanaka Girls’ High School (a prestigious school in Hiroshima), she lost her father, and the day before her graduation, her mother, Hide Ikeda, also passed away. She was subsequently taken in by relatives on her mother's side in Nagoya City, and she entered and graduated from Kanjo Girls’ Vocational School (now Kanjo Gakuin University).

## Meeting and Marriage

During her time at Kanjo Girls’ Vocational School, she contracted beriberi, and upon returning to Hiroshima, she went to stay with her relatives in the Ikeda family. This was how she came to meet Hayato Ikeda.

Later, they held their wedding at Tsuruhane Shrine in Hiroshima City. Hayato Ikeda had a previous wife named Naoko, who died of illness in 1932 (Showa 7).

## As a Politician’s Wife

In 1949 (Showa 24), her husband Hayato Ikeda was elected to the House of Representatives, making her a politician's wife.

Hayato Ikeda served as Prime Minister during the 58th, 59th, and 60th cabinets, with his tenure lasting from July 19, 1960 (Showa 35) to November 9, 1964 (Showa 39).

During this period, Mitsue actively functioned as First Lady.

## Later Years and Death

Mitsue Ikeda passed away on January 9, 2001, due to congestive heart failure.