Formely known as Noriko Tsuji. Shirai was born without both arms due to the side effects of her mother taking thalidomide, and she had almost no eyesight in her right eye. She's also the first Japanese victim of thalidomide, who become a civil servant.

Wanting to introduce her disease, women agreed to star in the movie "Noriko is Now", which was, however, partly coldly received. There were a lot of insulting letters on the set and people trying to sabotage its shooting.

Currently, the woman is a motivational speaker and in 2006 she published a semi-biographical and reportage book about herself.

"Noriko is Now" was the only movie she chose to star in.