Hani Motoko (Japanese: 羽仁 もと子, 1873 - 1957) is considered to be Japan's first female journalist.

Hani Motoko was born on September 8, 1873, in Aomori Prefecture, the year after Japan's modern public school system was established.

[4] "In its attempt to catch up with the West by modernizing the country, the Meiji government made education one of its top priorities.

Due to Hani's close relationship with her grandfather, he enabled her to attend Tokyo's First Higher Girls' School (Kōtō Jogakkō)[2][3].

After receiving positive responses from readers, Miki Zenpachi, president of the newspaper, promoted her to reporter.

[5] Her reputation as a reporter grew quickly, because she covered often neglected social issues such as child care and orphanages.

[5] As a journalist in the 1920s, Hani operated as a mediator between two polarizing ideas: one being that women are equal to men in every way.

[5] Hani popularized the virtues of the Western-style “house wife.” She cooperated with bureaucrats in sponsoring daily life improvement exhibitions and she also gave lectures.

Like many activists, Hani used the war with China in 1937 as an opportunity to elevate the position of Japanese women within the state.

"Followers of Hani Motoko, led by her daughter Setsuko, also actively assisted the wartime government in urging women to economize and 'rationalize' their daily lives.

She kept her divorce a secret from her family; after the failure of her parents' marriage, her own divorce was the second most painful emotional crisis of her life: "I have always feared that this painful episode of my life, of which I am ashamed even today, might jeopardize the effectiveness of my public service.

Not for a moment, however, do I regret my decision to liberate myself from the enslaving hold of emotion, for my life had been rendered meaningless by the selfish and profane love of another".