Former USALI visiting scholar Ayako Hatano recently published the article “Towards marriage equality in Japan” in East Asia Forum.
Article Excerpt:
“I am glad I could survive until today’, one plaintiff said on 17 March 2021 when, in a landmark decision, the Sapporo District Court in Japan ruled that failure to recognise same-sex marriages violates Article 14 of the Constitution on the right to equality. The court determined that sexual orientation ‘cannot be chosen or changed by one’s own will’. It concluded that it is unreasonably discriminatory that same-sex couples cannot enjoy the legal benefits of marriage afforded to heterosexual couples.
This first-ever decision on the constitutionality of marriage equality in Japan was lauded by LGBTQI communities and allies in and out of the country as a significant milestone toward a more inclusive society, giving hope to many same-sex couples and sexual minorities nationwide.”