Claim: Akimoto Matsuyo was born in Yokohama on January 2, 1911 and diagnosed with pleurisy in grade school which she spent both in public school and being homeschooled.
Evidence: Akimoto was born in Yokohama on January 2, 1911, to a family of six consisting of her mother, father, and four older brothers; one of them being Fujio Akimoto, who was a haiku poet. In addition, to her father's death at a young age she was diagnosed with pleurisy when she was in the third grade. Due to Akimoto's fatigue from her illness and her family's belief in traditional gender roles, the family did not see the need for Akimoto to extend her education, so she attended public school for the minimum required years. For many years of her childhood, Akimoto was home schooled with the help of her two older brothers.