While Japan does not have full on Marriage Equality like it is in the U.S. and several other countries, including Singapore, Japan has been making strides. In 2024, a few (3 out of 8) of Japan’s regional high courts have ruled that Japan’s failure to recognize same-sex unions is unconstitutional. Nonetheless, same-sex couples still cannot get the same marriage rights as heterosexuals, as its constitution still only defines marriage as involving consent between “both” sexes. Japan’s courts cannot legalize full-on same-sex marriage; it is something its legislature (also known as the Diet) has to do. Now to the point: What are the recent expansions Japan has extended to to same-sex couples?
Well, Japan this month has now included same-sex couples in an additional 9 laws, with 24 other laws, which include the Domestic Violence Prevention Act, Child Abuse Prevention Act, Public Housing Act, and so on. All of this continually tries to bridge the gap between the rights heterosexual (married) couples and same-sex couples have. Marriage equality may not be there yet, but this is a good step in the right direction until Japan’s legislature decides to stop stonewalling. It is time for Japan to join alongside Taiwan and Singapore as the Asian countries to have marriage equality!
