[1][2] Born in 1893 (Meiji 26), Asa was the third daughter of Kenichi Matsuoka, a successful merchant in Tokyo known for donating to build a bridge between Fujisawa and the tidal island of Enoshima.

In all, she gave 150 lectures on subjects as varied as the positions of Japan and China, slide screenings of Shosoin's Imperial Treasure, flower arranging, Bonseki, and Kimono during her 18 months of stay.

[10][11] Asa would spend WW2 in China, establishing the Nanjing Children's Academy and a soup kitchen for refugees escaping the frequently shifting alliances during the Chinese Civil War.

Returning to Japan after the fall of the Wang Jingwei regime, Asa was introduced to UNICEF representative Margarita Streer who convinced her to volunteer and cooperate with the organization in support of Japanese children affected in the aftermath of WW2.

Until her retirement in 1966, Asa would work tirelessly as UNICEF's official representative to Japan, helping to provide meals and education to under-privileged Japanese children, joining the UNICEF Executive Committee every year at United Nations Headquarters, and met with Jackie Kennedy at the White House, presenting her with Japanese dolls for her daughter Caroline, the future United States ambassador to Japan who fondly remembered the gesture during her tenure as Ambassador.