Japan: Tokyo opens applications for same-sex partnership system

On Tuesday, the system to register same-sex partnerships opened for applications in Japan’s capital city, Tokyo, said local media reports. This step is largely symbolic since it does not offer the legal benefits of marriage to the LGBTQ community in the country but it is welcomed by rights groups as a small step in the right direction nevertheless.

“The introduction of the system in Tokyo is extremely positive…But partnership is not enough. We basically want legal marriage,” said Soshi Matsuoka, the head of Fair, an LGBTQ rights organization in Tokyo, to the local media. Notably, Japan is the only country in the Group of Seven (G7) major democracies that does not allow same-sex marriage or civil unions. However, several polls have reportedly indicated that people are largely in favour of same-sex unions.

According to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s website, the system is open for couples of whom at least one partner lives, works or studies in the country’s capital city. The couple must be at least 18 years old and not already married or in a partnership. The website also indicated that the applications must be online, the certificates for which will be available from November 1.

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Local government partnership certification systems have already been introduced in several municipalities across Japan. However, since Tokyo accounts for more than 10% of the country’s population (125 million) its change in policies has a larger impact, said media reports.

Japan has an ageing as well as a shrinking population and the lack of provisions like same-sex marriages, it could adversely affect the country’s ability to compete for talent against dozens of countries who have legalised marriage equality, said industry bodies. However, incumbent Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, leader of the conservative, Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has reportedly urged caution on the issue.

While the general public attitudes have been increasingly positive in recent years, some conservative lawmakers are not entirely on board. Earlier this month, an LDP assemblyman in Aichi Prefecture, Noboru Watanabe, was forced to issue an apology following an online post, where he called same-sex marriage “disgusting”, said the local media.

ALSO READ:Japan: In major blow to LGBTQ rights, court rules same-sex marriage ban is not unconstitutional

Meanwhile, there have been a series of legal cases challenging Japan’s stance of not recognising same-sex marriage. Earlier this year, in March, marked a partial win for the LGBTQ community in the country with a Japanese court ruling that not allowing same-sex couples to get married is “unconstitutional”, which set a precedent for the right in the future.

However, the victory was short-lived as another court in Osaka ruled against the marriage equality right in the month of June. Furthermore, last month in another court ruling the US-national same-sex spouse of a Japanese citizen was refused residency rights and said it was unconstitutional, reported the media, saying that the two had gotten married in the US.

(With inputs from agencies)

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