womenwhokickass:

Aya Kamikawa: Why she kicks ass

• She is the only openly transgender official in Japan at this point, and the first to seek or win elected office in Japan.
• She won a four-year term as an independent under huge media attention, placing sixth of 72 candidates running for 52 seats in the Setagaya ward assembly, the most populous district in Tokyo.  In April 2007, she was re-elected to her second term, placing second of 71 candidates running for 52 in the same ward assembly. 
• While the government announced that they would continue to consider her male officially, she stated that she would work as a woman. 
• She is devoted to work for various groups, the disabled, single-parent families, homeless people to evening junior high school students, LGBT people and to improve rights for women, children, the elderly.  She strives to give support for these people and bring positive changes which would help them in society. 
• She was also a committee member for Trans-net Japan (a self-support group for transgender people) and organised meetings and social events to give support and symposiums to raise the public awareness.