In a historical motion, openly gay candidate Taiga Ishikawa has won a seat in Japanese politics – he will sit in the Toshima Ward Assembly as the country’s first openly gay elected official.
Ishikawa has been a long-time advocate of the LGBT community, publishing books on the topic including “Where is My Boyfriend?” in 2002 under his real name – an unprecedented and bold move that won applauds across the globe.
“I hope this news will give a hope to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people who still feel isolated from the society,” said Ishikawa, according to The Japan Times. “I will do my best to make Toshima Ward more friendly to LGBT people, young people and foreigners.”
Just shortly after Ishikawa published his book, he founded a nonprofit organization catering to the LGBT community in Japan. The organization aims to unite the LGBT community of Japan in friendship and allegiance.
