2001 AIG Japan Open Tennis Championships – Women's singles

Julie Halard-Decugis was the defending champion but did not compete this year, as she retired from professional tennis at the end of the 2000 season.

First-seeded Monica Seles won the title by defeating second-seeded Tamarine Tanasugarn 6–3, 6–2 in the final.

Seeds
The top two seeds received a bye into the second round. • # 🇺🇸 Monica Seles (champion)

• # 🇹🇭 Tamarine Tanasugarn (final)

• # 🇯🇵 Ai Sugiyama (semifinals)

• # 🇺🇸 Meilen Tu (first round)

• # 🇩🇪 Marlene Weingärtner (second round)

• # 🇮🇹 Rita Grande (quarterfinals)

• # 🇫🇷 Nathalie Dechy (second round)

• # Joannette Kruger (semifinals)