Despite Japan’s relatively liberal laws and the fact that homosexual sex is legal, the Japan LGBT rights community remains largely invisible in society. The country’s Equal Opportunity Act does not protect LGBT rights, and there are no anti-discrimination laws in place. A recent court ruling, however, ruled that discrimination against LGBT people is not unreasonable. Even in the military, gay men and women are permitted to serve openly.
In fall 2016, Japan launched its first Pride Index report, ranked companies according to how they treat their LGBT+ employees. The report ranked 53 companies, with the top ones receiving the highest scores. While it’s still difficult to come out as LGBT in Japan, the country is becoming more welcoming. The government is considering increasing the amount of diversity in government jobs. Despite these challenges, the number of jobs for LGBT people in Japan is expected to rise.
While the Japanese LGBT community has worked hard to increase their visibility, their fight to obtain equal marriage rights has been difficult.
The government has repeatedly refused to make such changes despite repeated pressure from LGBT activists. Although the new law does not guarantee marriage equality, the ruling is a step in the right direction. Regardless of the outcome of the ruling, Japan has taken a bold step forward for the sake of its LGBTQ+ community.
Japan has been slower to recognize LGBT partnerships in public. In 2015, Shibuya Ward in Tokyo was the first to introduce an ordinance recognizing same-sex partnerships. Though some people in the country still oppose such an ordinance. Ssurveys show that a majority of Japanese citizens support such practices. So, why is it important for Japan to make LGBT rights legal? It’s because a high percentage of the population supports the right to marry who they want, and it’s more tolerant and welcoming to other people.
While Japan is more progressive than most other countries, it is still lagging behind other Asian countries. In fact, it is the only G7 country that does not recognize same-sex marriage. Despite this, the social stigma of being LGBT is still too strong to allow the LGBT community to come out in public. Fortunately, a recent court decision has provided a legal framework for this legislation. It may be a long time until there is a more progressive anti-discrimination law in Japan.
There are many reasons why Japan’s LGBT community needs to be recognized as a full member of society. In the case of gay marriage, the legal status of same-sex couples in Japan has been under threat for over 30 years. This is why the country’s lgbt community is doing all it can to fight for their rights. With these efforts, it is essential to recognize that there are many people in Japan who are gay and lesbian.
