Invited Speakers

SONO, Ayako (Miura, Chizuko) 1931-

Personal:

Born September 17, 1931 in Tokyo, Japan; daughter of Eijiro and Kiwa (maiden name: Yamato) Machida; married Shumon Miura October 12, 1953; children: Taro (son).

Education:

University of Sacred Heart; degree in English Literature granted 1954.

Religion:

Roman Catholic.

Awards, Honors:

La Croce Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice, The Vatican, Rome, 1979; Father Damien Award, Korea Hansen's Disease League, 1983; Civil Engineering Society Writer's Award, for "Birth of Lake", 1986: Shikanai Nobutaka Seiron Prize, Fuji-Sankei Group, 1987; Cultural Art Prize, Woo Kyoung Culture Foundation, Korea,1992; Imperial Prize, The Japan Art Academy, 1993; NHK Broadcast Cultural Award, NHK, 1995; appointed Pontificia Insigne Accademia di Belle Arti e Virtuoso al Panteon, 1996; Yoshikawa Eiji Cultural Prize as a representative of Japan Overseas Missionary Activity Sponsorship, 1997; Yomiuri International Cooperation Prize, Yomiuri Shimbunsha, 1997; Zaikai Prize Special Award, Zaikai Co., Ltd., 1998; Nihon Bungei Taisho Grand Prize, Nihon Bungei Shinkokai,1998; Person of Cultural Merits, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Japan. 2003.

Writings:

"Moments Without Inscription", based on the Old Testament book of Job, concerning civil engineering expressways, dams and etc., 1969; "The House of Lies", 1973, published in Chinese translation 1986 as "Domestic tragedy", "The Tadami River", 1974, published in Spanish translation 1989 as "El Rio Tadami"; "The Dirty Hands of God", Asahi Shimbunsha, 1980, published in English translation 1990 by Shogakkan International as "Watcher from the Shore", and published in Italian translation 1990 by Spiral/Vel.s.r.l. as "Le mani sporche di Dio"; "The Babies for Whom Time Stopped", Mainichi Shimbunsha,1984; "The Desert, This God's Land", Asahi Shimbunsha, 1985; "Birth of a Lake", Chuo Koronsha, 1985; "In this World of Grief", Shufu To Seikatsusha Co., 1986; "A Photograph" Kobunsha, 1990; "The Blessing of the City", PHP Research Institute, 1990; "The Fragrance of a Newspaper at Dawn", Shinchosha, 1990; "The Heavenly Blue", Mainichi Shimbunsha, 1990; "The Traveler and His Glory", Shinchosha Inc., 1991; "A Mutter, But not a Great Sermon", PHP Research Institute, 1992; "A Letter for the 21st Century", Shueisha, 1992; "Father and Child, Sharing Respect", PHP Research Institute, 1993; "Joy of Vice and Impurity", PHP Research Institute, 1994; "In Pursuit of Man's Dream", Asahi Shimbunsha, 1994; "Northern Light", Shinchosha, 1995; "Days of a Pet Cat, BOTAKO", Kawadeshobo,1995; "The Family of the Bruegels", Kobunsha, 1995; "Burning Wood", Chuo Koronsha, 1995; "Trend at the End of the Century", Shogakkan, 1996; "God, Is This What You wish?", Bungei Shunjusha, 1996; "My Recent Favorite Words", Shinchosha, 1996; "Alexandria", Bungei Shunjusha, 1997; "A Tale of a Nook in the Universe", PHP Research Institute, 1997; "The Yufuin Moon", Mainichi Shimbunsha, 1998; "Delighted on the Inside", Shogakkan,1998; "The Seven Year Old Pilot", PHP Research Institute, 1998; "Mine Face, Thy Face", Kodansha, 1998; "Oh Father,,,Stars on the Hilltop", Kawadeshobo, 1999; "The Equality of Destiny", Kairyusha, 1999; "Desolated Ground", Chuo Koronsha, 1999; "Life Is Easy, Once You Stop Being Nice", Shodensha, 1999; "Life After Middle Age", Kobunsha, 1999; "Massacre Of The Tribe", Shinchosha, 1999; "An Evening On the Twenty-third Floor", Kawadeshobo, 1999; "The Benefit Of Moderation", Shodensha, 2000; "Own Way To Reach The Summit", Kodansha, 2000; "Mistrustful Righteousness", Shogakkan, 2000: "Courage To Stick To One's Belief and Words of Conviction", PHP Research Institute, 2000; "In Search of the Horizon", Bungei Shunjusha, 2000; "Looking Back on Life with Laughter", Shinchosha, 2000; "our Fascination with Indolence and Danger", Kodansha, 2000; "Modern Living Bible", Japan Broadcast Publishing Company, 2001; "Grief Gentleness and Fragrant", Kairyusha, 2001; "King Herod, a Distracted Ruler", Shueisha, 2001; "People are Stars-Lives are Nocturnal Sky", PHP Research Institute, 2001; "Gaze at the Origin", Shodensha, 2002; "Deep Sound of This World", Kairyusha, 2002; "Green Fingers", PHP Research Institute, 2002; "Battle to Live", Shogakkan, 2003; "Tender Tomorrow Certainly Shall Come", Tokuma Shoten, 2003; "Sinking Ship Inquest", Shinchosha, 2003; "Count on What You Have; Ignore What You Don't", Shodensha, 2003; "A Free Man on a Spiritual Journey", Kobunsha, 2003; "Arabic Proverbs", Shinchosha, 2003; "Why Do People Do Unspeakable Things?", Kodansha, 2003; "God in The Midst of Life", Kairyusha, 2004; "To Crete an Original Personality", PHP Research Institute, 2004; "The Reason People Go to War", Shogakkan, 2004; "American Ethics Iraqi Ethics", WAC Co. Ltd., 2004; "A Complete Set of Miscellaneous Private Affairs", Kairyusha, 2004; "Translucent Moonlight of Years Gone By", Kodansha, 2005; "Poignant Songs", Mainichi Shimbunsha, 2005; "For Those Whom We Love", Shodensha, 2005; "Giving is More Rewarding than Receiving", Daiwashobo, 2005; "Nine and a Half Years at the Helm of Nippon Foundation", Tokuma Shoten, 2005; "A State of Celestial Bliss", Kodansha, 2005; "How a Good Natured Person Brings Others Down", Shodensha, 2006; "Seeking Aesthetics of Life in the Golden Years", Asahi Shimbunsha, 2006; "It's Easy to Stop a Traitor", Shogakkan, 2006; "Ocean Is Broad, Ship Is Small", Kairyusha, 2006; My Positive Outlook on Experiencing the War", Shinchosha, 2006; "Astute Travel Tips for the Japanese", PHP Research Institute, 2006; Sono's work has been translated into English, Italian, German, Spanish, Chinese and Korean.

Career/Activities:

Catholic, began writing professionally following gradation from university;
Director, Japan Writers Association
Director, JAL Foundation
Director, Association of Japanese Symphony Orchestra
Director, Patron of the St. John's Society
Trustee, The Iwakuni Foundation for Scholarship
Trustee, Japan Arts Foundation
Trustee, Japan Association of Authors
Trustee, Foundation for Cultural Heritage
Trustee, Tsukuba Bach Globe Cultural Foundation
Trustee, Furuoka Shogakkai Foundation

Council Member,
Representative, Japan Overseas Missionary Activity Sponsorship
Board member, Japan Student Services Organization Planning and Advisory Board
; since 1984 has led annual tours of handicapped people, about 80 per group, to places of religious interest I such countries as Israel, France, Italy, Greece and Turkey. As a representative of Japan Overseas Missionary Activity Sponsorship, a non-governmental organization, has been supporting the activities of Fathers and Sisters abroad financially since 1972.