[1] Imai was born in Katsuyama in Ōno District in 1901,[2] and attended Shimizudani Girl's High School.
[3] After marrying, she moved to Shikoku, where she worked as a substitute teacher for a high school and as a newspaper reporter.
[2] She later moved to Tokyo, where she opened a sewing school, before returning to Fukui Prefecture due to the damage caused to Tokyo during World War II.
After leaving parliament, Imai studied journalism at Meiji University, graduating in 1950.
She subsequently worked as an expert advisor to the Youth Affairs Council of the Prime Minister's Office.