Japanese opposition party calls for same-sex marriage to be legalised
Last year a court in Japan ruled a ban on same-sex marriage was constitutional.
Japan’s main opposition party has entered a bill to the country’s parliament to legalise same-sex marriage.
On Monday (6 March) Chinami Nishimura, of the Constitutional Democratic Party (CDP), requested a revision of the Civil Code of laws.
Japan is the only G7 nation that does not recognise gay marriage. Japan’s constitution says that “marriage shall be only with the mutual consent of both sexes.”
The CDP’s request arrives ahead of the country hosting the G7 summit in May, putting pressure on lawmakers.
Currently, LGBTQ couples can only have civil unions in certain regions. These unions, however, don’t allow partners to inherit assets or adopt children.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has faced increasing scrutiny over LGBTQ protections in the country.
Kishida recently drew criticism for claiming that not recognising gay marriage “isn’t unfair discrimination by the state”.
In response, Nishimura stated: “I think it’s discrimination if marriage is recognised legally for heterosexual couples but not same-sex couples.”
Kishida has also said gay marriage would “change society”, so lawmakers must be “extremely careful in considering the matter”.
Additionally, one of Kishida’s aides reportedly made discriminatory comments, including that he “doesn’t even want to look at” married LGBTQ couples.
Kishida subsequently fired the aide. He also called the remarks “outrageous.”
More than a dozen couples have filed cases in district courts across Japan calling the marriage ban unconstitutional.
In November, a Tokyo court ruled Japan’s ban on gay marriage was legal but that the lack of legal protection for LGBTQ families infringed their human rights.
The Japanese-British popstar Rina Sawayama called for gay marriage to be legalised last year.
During a performance at Japan’s Summer Sonic Festival, the ‘Hold the Girl’ singer said: “This is something really embarrassing.”
A recent poll has also shown that two-thirds of people in Japan support same-sex marriage.