• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Towleroad
  • Towleroad on Social Media
  • Privacy Policy

Towleroad Gay News

Gay Blog Towleroad: More than gay news | gay men

  • Body
  • Daily Resist
  • POLITICS
  • Travel
  • Music
  • Theatre
  • Film
  • TV
  • Sports
  • Business
  • Men
  • Marriage Equality
  • Space
  • Trans Rights
  • Books
  • Science
  • Gay Iconography
  • TowleREAD

Taiga Ishikawa is the First Openly Gay Politician Elected in Japan

April 26, 2011 by Andy Towle

Taiga Ishikawa, a candidate for the Toshima Ward Assembly in Tokyo, Japan, has made history, AFP reports:

Ishikawa Ishikawa, 36, won a seat in a Tokyo ward assembly in local elections on Sunday. Prior to his victory, no openly homosexual politician had won office in Japan.

He said he hoped his victory would help lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.

Said Ishikawa: "I hope my election victory will help our fellows nationwide to have hope for tomorrow, as many of them cannot accept themselves, feel lonely and isolated and even commit suicide…Many LGBTs, or sexual minorities, realise the fact when they are at elementary and junior high schools, many of which are operated by the municipality…As a ward assembly member, I would like to reinforce support to LGBT children at schools."

Ishikawa came out publicly in a memoir in 2002. He founded a gay netowrking organization called 'Peer Friends' and has served as private secretary to Social Democratic Party leader Mizuho Fukushima.

He has been compared to Harvey Milk by Japanese media.

Filed Under: Japan, News Tagged With: Japan, News, Taiga Ishikawa

Recent Posts

  • Liz Cheney Spox Mocks Matt Gaetz for Carrying ‘Beauty Bag’: ‘In Wyoming, the Men Don’t Wear Make-Up’

    Liz Cheney Spox Mocks Matt Gaetz for Carrying ‘Beauty Bag’: ‘In Wyoming, the Men Don’t Wear Make-Up’

    2 hours ago
  • Biden Signs Executive Order Reversing Trump’s Ban on Transgender Troops

    Biden Signs Executive Order Reversing Trump’s Ban on Transgender Troops

    3 hours ago
  • Sycophancy and Failure: Dr. Birx Criticized for Failing to Speak Out on Trump’s ‘Parallel’ COVID Data

    Sycophancy and Failure: Dr. Birx Criticized for Failing to Speak Out on Trump’s ‘Parallel’ COVID Data

    5 hours ago
  • Trump Trolled with Sky Banners Over ‘Sad, Dispirited’ Mar-a-Lago: ‘You Pathetic Loser’ — WATCH

    Trump Trolled with Sky Banners Over ‘Sad, Dispirited’ Mar-a-Lago: ‘You Pathetic Loser’ — WATCH

    6 hours ago
Previous Post: « Watch: Traveler’s Footage Shows St. Louis Airport as Tornado Hits
Next Post: Watch: Darren Criss Serenades Chris Colfer in Full Keane Clip from Tonight’s ‘Born This Way’ Glee Episode »

Primary Sidebar

  • Liz Cheney Spox Mocks Matt Gaetz for Carrying ‘Beauty Bag’: ‘In Wyoming, the Men Don’t Wear Make-Up’

  • Biden Signs Executive Order Reversing Trump’s Ban on Transgender Troops

  • Sycophancy and Failure: Dr. Birx Criticized for Failing to Speak Out on Trump’s ‘Parallel’ COVID Data

Recent Posts

  • Liz Cheney Spox Mocks Matt Gaetz for Carrying ‘Beauty Bag’: ‘In Wyoming, the Men Don’t Wear Make-Up’

    Liz Cheney Spox Mocks Matt Gaetz for Carrying ‘Beauty Bag’: ‘In Wyoming, the Men Don’t Wear Make-Up’

    2 hours ago
  • Biden Signs Executive Order Reversing Trump’s Ban on Transgender Troops

    Biden Signs Executive Order Reversing Trump’s Ban on Transgender Troops

    3 hours ago
  • Sycophancy and Failure: Dr. Birx Criticized for Failing to Speak Out on Trump’s ‘Parallel’ COVID Data

    Sycophancy and Failure: Dr. Birx Criticized for Failing to Speak Out on Trump’s ‘Parallel’ COVID Data

    5 hours ago
  • Trump Trolled with Sky Banners Over ‘Sad, Dispirited’ Mar-a-Lago: ‘You Pathetic Loser’ — WATCH

    Trump Trolled with Sky Banners Over ‘Sad, Dispirited’ Mar-a-Lago: ‘You Pathetic Loser’ — WATCH

    6 hours ago
  • GOP Official Resigns After Using Hawaii Republican Party’s Twitter Account to Prop Up QAnon Zealots as ‘Patriots’

    GOP Official Resigns After Using Hawaii Republican Party’s Twitter Account to Prop Up QAnon Zealots as ‘Patriots’

    7 hours ago
  • Biden Cans White House Doctor Who Misled Public About Trump’s COVID Treatment, Condition

    Biden Cans White House Doctor Who Misled Public About Trump’s COVID Treatment, Condition

    7 hours ago
  • GOP Senator Josh Hawley Files Ethics Counter-Complaint Challenging 7 Dem Senators, Writes Screeching Op-Ed Denouncing ‘Cancel Culture’ and Big Tech, Defending ‘Karens’

    GOP Senator Josh Hawley Files Ethics Counter-Complaint Challenging 7 Dem Senators, Writes Screeching Op-Ed Denouncing ‘Cancel Culture’ and Big Tech, Defending ‘Karens’

    8 hours ago
  • Rudy Giuliani Hit with $1.3 Billion Defamation Suit by Dominion Voting Systems Over Election Fraud Lies

    Rudy Giuliani Hit with $1.3 Billion Defamation Suit by Dominion Voting Systems Over Election Fraud Lies

    8 hours ago
  • GA School Board Members Ripped for Refusing to Wear Masks During 13-Second Moment of Silence for Teacher Who Died of COVID: ‘We See Where Your Priorities Are!’ — WATCH

    GA School Board Members Ripped for Refusing to Wear Masks During 13-Second Moment of Silence for Teacher Who Died of COVID: ‘We See Where Your Priorities Are!’ — WATCH

    8 hours ago
  • Sarah Huckabee Sanders Announces Run for Governor of Arkansas: WATCH

    Sarah Huckabee Sanders Announces Run for Governor of Arkansas: WATCH

    9 hours ago

Most Commented

  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Towleroad
  • Towleroad on Social Media
  • Privacy Policy

Footer

Copyright © 2021 · Log in