Ikeuchi Junko, whose real name was Nakazawa Sumiko, was born in Honjo-ku, Tokyo. She made her screen debut with “Kotaishi no Hanayome” (“The Crown Prince’s Bride”) in 1955 after working at a department store and becoming a marquee actress for Shintoho Pictures Co.

In her long career, Ikeuchi played various roles on stage and in several TV dramas. In 1960, she starred in the Fuji TV drama series “Nichinichi no Haishin,” which created her image as the nation’s housewife and also started the boom in TV dramas that continue to this day. In her prime years, she was dubbed a "20% actress " because the TV drama in that she starred received more than a 20% viewership rate. She also headlined many performances at the Meijiza theater in Tokyo.

She was married to the actor Yanagisawa Shinichi for a brief period, but she remained single after they divorced in 1958. For her contributions to the arts, she was awarded the Medal with Purple Ribbon in 2002 and the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette, in 2008 from the government.

Ikeuchi Junko passed away of lung cancer on September 26, 2010. Edit Biography