is a Japanese

politician A politician is a person who participates in Public policy, policy-making processes, usually holding an elective position in government. Politicians represent the people, make decisions, and influence the formulation of public policy. The roles ...

social worker Social work is an academic discipline and practice-based profession concerned with meeting the basic needs of individuals, families, groups, communities, and society as a whole to enhance their individual and collective well-being. Social wo ...

and former school teacher for the disabled. He became one of the first two openly gay male politicians elected to office in Japanese history in April 2011 when he was elected to the

Nakano, Tokyo Nakano (, Latn, ja, Nakano-ku) is a Special wards of Tokyo, special ward in the Tokyo, Tokyo Metropolis in Japan. The English translation of its Japanese self-designation is Nakano City (, Latn, ja, Nakano-ku).

ward council. The other was

Taiga Ishikawa is a Japanese politician and LGBT activist. He was elected to the House of Councillors in the 2019 Japanese House of Councillors election, becoming the first openly-gay man to be elected to either chamber of the National Diet. Previously, he bec ...

, who was elected to the

Toshima is a special ward in the Tokyo Metropolis in Japan. It is one of the eight central wards of the Tokyo Metropolitan area. Located in the northern area of Tokyo, Toshima is bordered by the wards of Nerima, Itabashi, and Kita in the north and N ...

ward council.

Early years

Born in Ota-ku, Tokyo, Ishizaka grew up in Inagi City.

Education

In March 2000, he graduated from Seikei University, as part of the Faculty of Economics, Department of Economics, International Society Course. In 2001, he completed the Department of Developmental Disorder Education, Special Course of Special Education, Chiba University . In 2002, he became a teacher at Asahi Yogo School. In 2010, he completed the master's program at the Graduate School of Social Design, 21st Century, Rikkyo University.

Career

In the election on April 24, 2011, he became Japan's first openly gay public officer with Taiga Ishikawa, who was first elected to the Toshima Ward Parliament on the same day. He is also the first member of the Nakano Ward to have a mental health worker qualification. On July 6, 2017, he helped to establish the "LGBT municipality Parliamentary League." It aims to spread regulations and measures to protect the human rights of sexual minorities to local governments throughout the country through local assembly.

References

External links

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Ishizaka Blog
br /> {{DEFAULTSORT:Ishizaka, Wataru Living people 1976 births Gay politicians Japanese gay men Japanese LGBTQ politicians Japanese LGBTQ rights activists People from Ōta, Tokyo Politicians from Tokyo Social Democratic Party (Japan) politicians 21st-century Japanese LGBTQ people LGBTQ social workers Activists from Tokyo