伊東 香織

Kaori Ito is a Japanese politician and former government official currently serving as the Mayor of Kurashiki, Okayama Prefecture. Born in Fukuoka, she graduated from the University of Tokyo and earned a Master of Laws from Harvard Law School. She began her career in the Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications and served in the Cabinet Office's International Peace Cooperation Headquarters. Elected as the first female mayor of Kurashiki in 2008, she has since been re-elected multiple times, including an uncontested victory in 2024. Her administration has focused on child-rearing support and the promotion of cultural initiatives, such as the development of local Go and Shogi programs. In 2021, she introduced a partnership oath system for same-sex couples in Kurashiki.