When Mutsuko Miki, widow of former Prime Minister Takeo Miki, set up the Asian Ladies Friendship Society in 1968, she could not have projected how the society would rate in 2006. To her gratification, ALFS today, expanded to the Asia-Pacific Ladies Friendship Society, has 24 member countries and a general membership of about 300. It is a healthy, active and effective organization, concerned with extending aid to countries in the region and with building personal friendships at many levels.
Over the years of its existence, ALFS has maintained a welfare fund that makes regular donations to deserving institutions in each member country. It has also maintained an emergency relief fund, earmarked for victims of natural disasters, which happen with alarming regularity. Last year, among the major beneficiaries from the ALFS emergency relief fund were Pakistan, which suffered a devastating earthquake, and Laos, swept by floods.
The society arranges activities and events to support its funds. Amongst the most popular are interest groups that bring Tokyo members together to share and develop their hobbies, whether sporting, aesthetic or intellectual.