While studying archaeology at Keio University, Makiko joined Studio Lotus as a part-timer in February 1985. She was moved by Renzo and Sayoko Kinoshita’s films, and first encountered the power of the animation art media. Following her attendance at the first Hiroshima International Animation Festival in August that year as an assistant to the two she took up a full-time position at Studio Lotus. As secretary to Sayoko Kinoshita she has managed the production, diffusion, program planning and screening of animation films, and continued to be involved in the organization of the Hiroshima International Animation Festival since the first festival. She has been general secretary of ASIFA-Japan since 1997.