First female fire department chief appointed in Tokyo fire department; appointment issued at Shinagawa Ward Office. Toshiko Otani has been active in the fire department since 1996, and has been instructing her juniors and residents in local disaster prevention and lifesaving drills.
According to the Tokyo Fire Department, there are 98 fire brigades in Tokyo, with approximately 21,600 members, of which approximately 3,200 are women. There is a shortage of fire brigade nationwide. The proportion of women is on the rise.