PinkNews.co.uk – Tony Grew
Japan?s second largest political party, the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), announced that Kanako Otsuji, the first openly lesbian politician in Japan, will be one of the party?s official candidates for this summer?s National Diet (parliament) election.
Ms Otsuji, 32, was elected as an Osaka Assembly Member in April 2003.
In August 2005, she came out of the closet in her book Coming Out and marched in the Tokyo Pride Parade (formerly known as Tokyo Lesbian & Gay Parade) along with about 2,500 people.
In her book, Ms Otsuji said:
“I believe coming out (as a lesbian) is the best thing that I can do for society to encourage people.