20 June 2022, 9:30 AM |Plaintiffs' lawyers and supporters show a banner that reads 'Unconstitutional decision' after a district court ruled on the legality of same-sex marriages outside Sapporo district court in Sapporo, Hokkaido, northern Japan March 17, 2021, in this photo taken by Kyodo.
The ruling dashes activists’ hopes of raising pressure on Japan’s government to address the issue after a Sapporo court in March 2021 decided in favour of a claim that not allowing same-sex marriage was unconstitutional. Japan’s constitution defines marriage as being based on “the mutual consent of both sexes”. But the introduction of partnership rights for same-sex couples in the capital of Tokyo last week, along with rising support in polls, had increased activists’ and lawyers’ hopes for the Osaka case.Japanese law is considered relatively liberal in some areas by Asian standards, but across the continent, only Taiwan has legalised same-sex marriage so far.
While Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has said the issue needs to be “carefully considered”, his ruling Liberal Democratic Party has not disclosed any plans to review the matter or propose legislation, though some senior LDP figures do favour reform.
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