International badminton mourns the untimely passing of one of the game’s greatest players and Japan’s favourite daughters, Hiroe Yuki. The 62-year-old Hiroe succumbed to her battle against cancer on the 7th September 2011.

The President and Council of Badminton World Federation extend their condolences to the Badminton Association of Japan and family members of the late Hiroe, later to assume the name Niinuma after her marriage to singer Kenji Niinuma in 1986.

Hiroe Yuki was one of Asia’s most outstanding women Singles players of the 60s and 70s. Winner of four All England Singles and one Doubles titles between 1969 & 1977, Hiroe will be remembered as the first Asian woman to win the coveted Singles and Doubles titles in 1969 and 1971 respectively at the venerated Wembley Arena.

Her subsequent successes in Singles were in 1974, 1975 and 1977. Among her various other achievements around the world, included the Gold medal at the 1970 Asian Games and a Bronze at the 1977 World Championships.

Hiroe Niinuma was among the elite group of players that helped Japan to five Uber Cup successes between 1966 and 1981.

Her contemporaries along the international arena included Noriko Takagi, Etsuko Takaneka, Gillian Gilks, Lene Koppen, Margaret Beck and Judy Hashman, all one-time or multiple winners of the All England championships.

In 2002, Hiroe Niinuma became the first and only Japanese player to date, to be inducted to badminton’s hallowed Hall Of Fame.

The Japanese icon is survived by husband Kenji, a son and a daughter.