Gay rights activists and legal experts said Monday they hope the historic U.S. Supreme Court ruling in favor of same-sex marriage will give impetus to moves in Japan to embrace sexual diversity and go a long way toward initiating calls for legalization of gay marriages here.

¡°I believe the ruling showed the court¡¯s understanding that marriage equality is not something determined at the whim of the state, but guaranteed to every human being universally,¡± said Taiga Ishikawa, an openly gay member of the Toshima Ward Assembly in Tokyo.

Ishikawa said the development supports his belief that the global trend is toward legalizing same-sex marriage.