Irene Akio Irene Akio was born in Japan and grew up in Ann Arbor, Michigan, with her brother and mother.nbsp;As a child, she spent many of her summers in Tokyo with her father and the Japanese side of her family.nbsp;Irene very much considers both Japan and the United States her home, but has been living happily in Seattle, Washington, for over five years hellip; as a ninja. Shhh.