Nearly every year in August Tokyo had its Tokyo Gay Parade, a gay pride march that winds its way through the crowded streets of the Shibuya area.

However, following the regrettable cancellation of last year's Tokyo Gay Parade, this year brought the first ever Tokyo Pride Festival, a brand new Pride event where a day’s worth of LGBT performances and discussions literally took center stage. Jubilant throngs of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and trans people gathered openly to joyfully celebrate Pride in Tokyo.

There was a superb line-up at the Yoyogi Park Outdoor Stage, featuring a talk show event with “Honey & Honey” writer Sachiko Takeuchi and the first-ever public live taping of the NHK program Haato O Tsunago. People were particularly excited about the live taping because entertainer and comedian Ken Maeda was scheduled to make his debut appearance on the show.

The day was warm and sunny--perfect for an outdoor Pride celebration. And thanks to its dedicated crew of volunteers, the Festival turned out a grand success with over 3,500 celebrants!

Tokyo Wrestling went to the Tokyo Pride Festival and spent the afternoon interviewing some of Japan’s more notable LGBT advocates, celebrities and politicians--including Social Democratic Party leader Mizuho Fukushima; Japan’s first transgender elected official, Setagaya Ward Assembly Member Aya Kamikawa; FtM author of the autobiographical Double Happiness, Fumino Sugiyama; novelist Ira Ishida; TV personality Sonin and openly gay comedian Ken Maeda.

In the following pages, we’ll be introducing these powerful queer advocates and allies. We’ll also be posting video interviews taken during the Tokyo Pride Festival--complete with personal messages from each interviewee especially for Tokyo Wrestling readers!

★Tokyo Pride Festival Official Website: 　www.tokyo-pride.org/festival

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translated by rayna rusenko