Tokyo Recognizes Same-Sex Relationships
Tokyo, on Tuesday, began issuing partnership certificates to same-sex couples who live and work in the capital, a long-awaited move in a country without marriage equality.
The certificates allow LGBTQ+ partners to be treated as married couples for a range of public services in areas such as housing, medicine and welfare, according to Barrons. More than 200 smaller local authorities in Japan have already made moves to recognize same-sex partnerships since Tokyo's Shibuya district pioneered the system in 2015.
While the status does not carry the same legal rights as marriage, it represents a welcome change for couples who have long had no official proof of their relationship. At least 137 couples have applied, and hopes are high that the certificates, which cover both residents and commuters, will help fight anti-LGBTQ+ discrimination in Japan.
“Through this Tokyo partnership system, I sincerely hope we can accelerate efforts to create a society where the rights of sexual minorities can be protected, and made more equal,” campaigner Soyoka Yamamoto told reporters. Yamamoto and her partner Yoriko, who have lived together for more than a decade, received their certificate on Tuesday morning, with Yoriko calling the move a “huge step forward.”
Dozens of people gathered to celebrate and take photos in front of the towering Tokyo Metropolitan Government building, which was lit up in rainbow colours after sundown. “It's like Tokyo is cheering us on,” 39-year-old Masato told AFP, while his partner Chris said he saw a “bright future” ahead of the couple.
A 2021 survey by public broadcaster NHK showed 57% of the public was in favor of gay marriage, versus 37% against.
But hurdles remain, with a court in Osaka ruling in June that the country's failure to recognize same-sex unions was constitutional. That marked a setback for campaigners in the wake of last year's landmark verdict by a Sapporo court, which said the current situation violated Japan's constitutionally guaranteed right to equality.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has been cautious about the possibility of legislative changes that would recognize same-sex partnerships on a national level.
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