“LGBTQ Groups in Japan Push for Passage of G-7 Equality Law to Ensure Equal Rights”
TOKYO (AP) — Japanese LGBTQ figures and rights groups condemned a recent discriminatory statement by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s senior aide, in which he called on his government to enact legislation to ban discrimination against sexual minorities, legalize same-sex marriages and to guarantee equal rights before Japan hosts a Group of Seven summit in May.
Her comments at a Tuesday news conference followed comments made by Kishida staffer Masayoshi Arai, who was fired after telling reporters he does not want to live alongside LGBTQ people and that citizens would flee Japan if same-sex marriage is allowed were.
Despite Kishida’s quick dismissal of Arai, a comment by the prime minister earlier last week raised questions about his intentions towards sexual minorities.
Asked by an opposition lawmaker in Parliament, Kishida said whether to allow same-sex marriages is “an issue that needs to be considered extremely carefully.” A decision requires a discussion of society as a whole, “because the topic can change the understanding of families and values as well as society,” he said.
At Tuesday’s press conference, LGBTQ activists and their supporters said while Arai’s remarks revealed open prejudice against sexual minorities, Kishida’s ambiguous comments hinted at his reluctance to address the issue, despite his earlier promise to create an inclusive and diverse society.
“Discriminatory remarks by the prime minister’s adviser made it clear to the rest of the world that Japan is a country that doesn’t care about the rights of sexual minorities,” said Takako Uesugi, a lawyer and director of Marriage For All Japan, an organization that campaigns for legalization of same-sex marriage.
Noting that Japan is the only member of the Group of Seven advanced industrialized nations that does not have a law protecting the rights of sexual minorities, she said: “We have to say that Japan is incapable of hosting the G-7 summit to direct if we don’t address the situation.”
They called on the government to start the process of legalizing same-sex marriage without delay, to set up a working team to study ways to guarantee the rights of sexual minorities, to appoint an adviser to the prime minister who specializes in the rights of sexual minorities, and Include statistics on -sex couples in the census.
Support for sexual diversity has slowly grown in Japan, and legal protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people are still lacking. They often face discrimination at school, work and at home, leading many to hide their sexual identity.
In recent years, more than 200 municipalities, including Tokyo, have introduced partnership deeds for same-sex couples, allowing them to rent apartments and sign documents for medical emergencies and inheritance. However, the certificates are not legally binding and same-sex couples are often barred from visiting each other’s hospitals and from accessing other services available to married couples.
Campaigns for equal rights for sexual minorities have met with opposition from conservatives in Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party. An attempt to enact legislation to promote equality awareness ahead of the Tokyo 2021 Olympics was crushed by the party.
Amid national outrage over Arai’s remarks, the party’s general secretary, Toshimitsu Motegi, said he plans to start preparing legislation to promote awareness of LGBTQ rights, but some conservatives have already expressed opposition. A group of bipartisan lawmakers also said they hoped to enact an equality law by the time of the G-7 summit.
Activists noted that in June Japan signed the Elmau G-7 Summit Communiqué, which calls for “full, equal and meaningful participation of women and girls in all their diversity and of LGBTIQ+ people in politics, business, education and all other areas of society. ”
“Kishida’s failure to provide legal protections is tantamount to promoting discrimination,” said Soshi Matsuoka, an activist who started an online petition for legislation promoting antidiscrimination and equality that has garnered more than 40,000 signatures as of Sunday .
Mari Yamaguchi, The Associated Press
Don’t miss interesting posts on Famousbio
