Aya Kamikawa (born January 25th 1968) is the only openly trangender person to currently hold official office in Japan. She was elected as municipal official to Tokyo in 2003. When submitting her election application papers it is noted that she left a blank space for “sex.”
Despite the Japanese government announcing that they would continue to see her officially as male, Kamikawa stated she would work as a woman.
She was re-elected in 2007 for a second four-year-term seat.
She uses her official position to improve rights for women, children, the elderly, handicapped and LGBT people.
