Junko Tabei: (Japan) became the first woman to reach the summit of Everest on 5/16/75 via the South-East Ridge route. Junko was born Fukushima Prefecture JAPAN – 1939, went to Showa Women’s University and is married with 2 children. She says she was attracted to mountain climbing by the experience of climbing Mt. Nasu with a teacher when she was 10 years old.