Born 1920 in California, USA. Worked in advertising photography at Light Publicity Co., Ltd. after studying under photographer Shoji Ueda, and has been operating in a broad range of fields since establishing Kijima Studio in 1956. His activities revolving around nude photography in postwar Japan took place mainly outdoors and in a guerilla style, resulting in such controversial series as Sakuradamon, photographed right in front of Sakurada gate (1958). Composed in an “art photography” style of nudes placed in environments like objects, his works sparked controversy with an emphasis on political aspects in the social environment at the time. Even before that, he had produced a number of critical works with clear political messages, such as 8.6 Pica-don Hiroshima (1945) and Kuroi ame ga futta (“black rain fell”) (’46). He won numerous prizes including an Annual Award from the Photographic Society of Japan, and an Order of the Sacred Treasure. Photo books include The Orchid (1975) and Yoshitsune Senbonzakura – Keys to the Japanese Mind (‘81). He died of septic poisoning in 2011.