February 24, 2023

Akahata editorial (excerpts)

Public support for the legalization of same-sex marriage and the introduction of a law prohibiting discrimination against sexual minorities is increasing in Japan. Latest opinion polls show that a majority of respondents call for legislative measures to that effect.

In the Asahi Shimbun survey on February 21, those who responded that same-sex marriage "should be recognized by law" reached 72%. The Sankei Shimbun survey on the same day also showed a 71% support for the legislation.

Regarding a law to promote understanding of LGBTQ people, 64.1% of people surveyed by the Sankei Shimbun responded "It should be enacted". As for a law banning discrimination against sexual minorities, 51% of respondents in the Asahi Shimbun survey said "It should be implemented."

Prime Minister Kishida in the current Diet session said that if same-sex marriage is legalized, it may change the conventional Japanese family values as well as Japanese society overall. Those who thought that his statement was "inappropriate" accounted for 57.7%, according to a Kyodo News survey released on February 13.

The Diet submission of a bill to promote understanding of LGBTQ people was agreed upon at the working level between the ruling and opposition parties. However, the bill's submission was shelved because of a strong objection from within the Liberal Democratic Party. It has become obvious that the deep-rooted right-wing tendency based on patriarchal family values certainly exists in the LDP. Some of the LDP Dietmembers even said that it is "against the principle of the conservation of species".

G7 countries, excluding Japan, have enacted regulations which prohibit discrimination against sexual minorities. These countries guarantee same-sex couples the same rights as opposite-sex couples by law. To protect the human rights and dignity of LGBTQ people is already a global trend.

In Japan, more and more local governments have come to introduce the same-sex partnership system, covering more than 60% of the population in Japan.

If the Kishida government respects human diversity, it should submit to the Diet a marriage-equality bill to legalize same-sex marriage and a bill to prohibit discrimination against sexual minorities.