The LGBTQ community last week hailed a groundbreaking decision by a district court in Japan that ruled the ban on same-sex marriage was ¡°unconstitutional.¡± The joint lawsuit filed by three same-sex couples in Sapporo argued that not allowing same-sex unions violates Article 14 of the Japanese Constitution, which stipulates equality under the law.
Japan does not have legal protections for same-sex couples or laws that protect people identifying as LGBTQ from discrimination.
The presiding judge, Takebe Tomoko, dismissed the plaintiffs¡¯ claim for ?6 million ($54,000) in compensation for psychological damage but ruled that denying same-sex couples the legal benefits that come with marriage was ¡°unreasonable discrimination.¡± While delivering the ruling Takebe rebuked the outdated view that homosexuality is a mental illness, saying, ¡°It is well-established that sexual orientation cannot be changed at will.¡± It is the first legal precedent in Japan that explicitly refutes LGBTQ discrimination.
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.