Eight upl Tokyo's Shibuya and Setagaya wards were on Thursday issued wh certifit regnizg their same-sex partnerships as equivalent to marriage on the first day of the long-awaed policy change.
Contents:
- TOKYO’S SHIBUYA GO ALONE WH GAY PARTNER CERTIFIT
- JAPAN’S GAY MARRIAGE PH FAC CONSTUTNAL BARRIER
- DISTRICT TOKYO PLANS TO EXTEND RIGHTS OF GAY COUPL
- TOKYO'S SHIBUYA AND SETAGAYA WARDS ISSUE FIRST SAME-SEX PARTNERSHIP PAPERS
TOKYO’S SHIBUYA GO ALONE WH GAY PARTNER CERTIFIT
The regnn has been slow to be adopted natnwi, amid very gradual cultural acceptance of lbian, gay, bisexual and transgenr people Japan and throughout is the only untry the Group of Seven largt enomi not to regnize same-sex marriag. Recent poll fds most young Japane open to the ia of gay marriage.
“It is not a marriage license and advantag will be limed but still better than nothg, ” Gon Matsunaka, a gay rights activist, told CNN. While Shibuya’s cisn do not yet equate to heterosexual marriage, the hope is that the move will be the begngs of promotg marriage equaly for gay muni. “What is important for the LGBT (lbian, gay, bisexual and transgenr) muny Shibuya is the lg will make visible society, ” Matsunaka said.
Taiga Ishikawa, Tokyo uncillor and the first male gay lol assembly member Japan, told CNN the ordance was a “big first step for the protectn of human rights.
JAPAN’S GAY MARRIAGE PH FAC CONSTUTNAL BARRIER
Neighborg Setagaya ward has dited that would look to followg Shibuya’s lead. “To realize equal rights for gay upl, a natnal law has to be ma, ” he said. While outright discrimatn agast the LGBT muny is rare Japan, s effects n be hidn and gay people often fd themselv at a disadvantage.
DISTRICT TOKYO PLANS TO EXTEND RIGHTS OF GAY COUPL
4% oppose gay marriage, but support amongst young adults their 20s and 30s is as high as 70%. Support for sexual diversy has grown slowly Japan, and legal protectns are still lackg for lbian, gay, bisexual and transgenr people. Image source, RtersImage ptn, Hiroko Masuhara and Koyi Higashi (centre) were among gay activists celebratg the move on TudayThe Shibuya ward Tokyo has bee the first place Japan to regnise same-sex passed an ordance allowg officials to issue certifit to same-sex upl this documents are not legally bdg but the ward is llg on bs to regnise the certifit and acrd equal remas a nservative untry but is seeg social shifts on issu such as gay natn's nstutn intifi marriage as a unn between "both sex".
Though the untry remas tolerant of homosexualy, same-sex upl do not get legal protectn. The district is also planng an tnal mpaign on gay rights ordance was supported by the majory of the area's legislators, but not by reprentativ of the erng right-wg Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).
Lbian activists Hiroko Masuhara, centre left, and her partner Koyi Higashi, centre right, speak to the media wh transgenr activist Fumo Sugiyama, left, and gay activist Gon Matsunaka after Tokyo's Shibuya ward regnis same-sex partnerships, outsi the Shibuya cy hall Tokyo this photo taken by Kyodo March 31, 2015. A district assembly Tokyo beme the first Japan on Tuday to regnise same-sex partnerships, a major step forward for gay upl a untry where beg openly gay remas Sugiyama will fally be able to marry his girliend of four years.
TOKYO'S SHIBUYA AND SETAGAYA WARDS ISSUE FIRST SAME-SEX PARTNERSHIP PAPERS
"The vote passed, wh the majory of the 34 ward's legislators standg up to show their Japane lbian, gay, bisexual and transgenr people keep their sexual orientatn secret for fear of a social backlash, so the number of people who will take advantage of the change is unclear. But Shibuya is expectg an flux of gay and lbian first certifit are expected to be issued July. Changg the charter to allow gay marriage would require “extremely ut nsiratn, ” Abe said Wednday parliament.
Abe was rpondg to opposn lawmaker Kota Matsuda, who said a move by Tokyo’s Shibuya Ward toward regnizg same-sex partnerships giv hope to the 5 percent of the populatn said to be homosexual. The gay marriage movement has growg public support and some polil backg. While Japan is maly tolerant of homosexuals, some gay people hi their sexualy om lleagu.
Tokyo’s Setagaya district may follow Shibuya’s lead, acrdg to Mayor Nobuto Hosaka, as may the cy of Yokohama.