# Meet the youngest-ever mayor in Japan's history | Ryosuke Takashima

An episode of [TED Talks Daily](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/160904630), 4 Sep 2026, 35 min.

Audio: https://sphinx.acast.com/p/open/s/67587e77c705e441797aff96/e/6a989c24054653259a9743b3/media.mp3

TED Fellow Ryosuke Takashima is the youngest-ever mayor in Japan's history — but he doesn't consider himself a politician. His approach to leadership is simple: listen to as many voices as possible (from students to elders) in order to figure out what needs fixing. Hear why he thinks inviting citizens to participate in reforming their own communities is the best way to get things done. Following his story, pulled from a short film he made for TED, Ryosuke speaks with Lily James Olds, director of the TED Fellows program, on the unexpected benefits of being a young civil servant. They talk about his view of politics, what it is and what it could be, and how his age allows him to ask more questions which helps him advocate for change. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

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