NEWS

[Obituary] Professor Emeritus Motoko Yoshioka Passes Away at Age 89

Update: Jun 11, 2025

Motoko Yoshioka, who served at ICU from April 1972 to March 1998 as a Professor Emeritus, Professor of the University, the Director of the Freshman English Program (1986-1987), and the Assistant Director of the English Language Program (1989-1997), passed away on May 31, 2025 at the age of 89. The University wishes to express its sincere condolences. A funeral service was held for her family (Flowers and condolence telegrams declined).

Professor Motoko Yoshioka has a long and distinguished record of both service to ICU and publication and service in her academic field of English Language education.

In her career as Instructor (1972-), Assistant Professor (1976-), Associate Professor (1979-), and Full Professor (1988-), her influence on ICU and its English program or on the field of English language teaching in the broader context of Japan was deep and important.

Professor Yoshioka contributed to ICU with her graceful persistence, her untiring work to create and guide and maintain the English Language Program (and before that, the Freshman English Program) as the leading English program in Japan. For more than 20 years she lived humbly for her cause. Her research achievements included co-editing of "Japanese-English Dictionary" (Obunsha, 1986) and two MEXT textbooks "New Horizon English Course I" (1994) and "English 21: Read On!" (1995).