Junko Tabei died of peritoneal cancer on October 20, 2016, at age 77.
Junko Tabei died on October 20, 2016, at the age of 77, after a long battle with peritoneal cancer, a diagnosis she had received several years earlier. Even while undergoing treatment, Tabei remained remarkably active, continuing to climb mountains and lead environmental and youth expeditions, including a notable trip up Mount Fuji with young people affected by the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.
Her death was met with tributes from across the mountaineering world and beyond, with obituaries appearing in major international outlets including National Geographic, the New York Times, and countless Japanese publications, reflecting the global scope of her influence. She was remembered not only as the first woman to summit Everest and complete the Seven Summits, but as a tireless advocate for environmental protection of mountain ecosystems and for expanding opportunities for women in outdoor sports.
In the years following her death, her legacy has continued to grow: the Junko Tabei Climbing School, which she founded to train young climbers, continues to operate, and various institutions, mountains routes, and even an asteroid (6897 Tabei) have been named in her honor. Her passing marked the end of an era in mountaineering history, but her story continues to be told and celebrated as a landmark chapter in the broader history of women's achievement in exploration.