Akina was born on July 13, 1965 in Kiyose City. A rural, farming community, the city of Kiyose is located 25 kilometers west of Tokyo and has a population of 60,000. Akina's father was the owner of a meat shop in the city. Her mother was originally from Kagoshima in the south of Japan.

The fifth of six children, Akina has two brothers (Akinori and Akihiro) and three sisters (Akie, Akiko, and Akiho). Interestingly, her parents gave all their children names beginning with 'Aki'.

Akina's character was predominantly shaped and influenced by her mother, who until her death remained very close to Akina. Guided by her mother, Akina was encouraged at a young age to explore the arts; she attended ballet school and showed an interest in pencil-sketching. Akina has said that her drive to become a singer was due largely to her mother's dream.

Akina's strong work ethic, independence, and objectivity--traits which at times have caused her to be misunderstood by others in the entertainment world--have ultimately served her well.

Akina attended the following schools while she was growing up:

• Yurikago Nursery School
• Kiyose Elementary School
• Kiyose Junior High School
• Meidai Nakano High School