Profile

Born in Shinjuku, Tokyo in 1981, Fumino Sugiyama is a former member of the Japanese women's national fencing team and a transgender activist. He majored in gender studies at Waseda University Graduate School and published an autobiography "Double Happiness" (Publisher: Kodansha) in 2006. After graduation, he spent two years backpacking and traveling through 50 countries including Antarctica. After returning to Japan, he worked in the corporate world for about three years before going independent where he now manages restaurants and gives lectures to raise awareness of LGBTQ issues. He was also involved in the enactment of Japan's first same-sex partnership ordinance in Shibuya Ward. Now he is the co-chairman of Tokyo Rainbow Pride, an NPO that runs one of Asia's largest Pride events as well as the first Japanese transgender executive board member of the Japan Olympic Committee.
He, his female partner and his gay best friend are raising two children, produced thanks to sperm donation from his gay best friend.