Aya Kamikawa

Aya Kamikawa （上川あや Kamikawa Aya) is a Tokyo municipal official, the first transsexual person to seek elected office in Japan. She was elected in April 2003. Kamikawa, a 35-year-old writer, submitted her election application papers with a blank space for "sex".

Running as an independent under huge media attention, she won her four-year term seat, placing sixth of 72 candidates running for 52 seats in the Setagaya ward assembly, the most populous district in Tokyo. Despite an announcement that the government would continue to consider her male officially, she stated that she would work as a woman. Her platform was to improve rights for women, children, the elderly, the handicapped, and LGBT people.

In April 2007, she was re-elected to her second term, placing 2nd of 71 candidates running for 52 in the same ward assembly. She is the only openly LGBT official in Japan at this point.