Japan Press Weekly

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2021 May 19 - 25 TOP3 [SOCIAL ISSUES]

LDP Dietmembers make discriminatory remarks about LGBT people

Japanese Communist Party Diet Policy Commission Chair Tamura Tomoko on May 21 held a press conference in the Diet building and criticized discriminatory remarks Liberal Democratic Party Dietmembers made against LGBT people that infringe on their fundamental human rights.

The remarks in question came out on the previous day during an LDP meeting on an LGBT equality bill. As a way to deny gender diversity, Yamatani Eriko, former minister in charge of North Korea's abduction issue, said in the meeting, "Some males insist that they want to use the ladies' room because they identify as females. Ridiculous things are going on like this." Yana Kazuo, LDP member of the House of Representatives, in the same meeting said, "LGBT people are biologically incapable of complying with the law regarding the conservation of species."

Regarding these statements, Tamura in the press conference pointed out, "The purpose of the bill is to recognize gender diversity and guarantee everyone's basic human rights."

Tamura added, "Yamatani uttered hate speech displaying hostility toward transgender people and intentionally spreading misleading information about LGBT people in a clear violation of human rights." She said, "I wonder what the LDP understands about LGBT people's human rights and what the LDP thinks intent of the bill is? The LDP stance is called into question."

Tamura also said, "Yamatani and Yana should apologize to the LGBT community and reflect on the constitutional principle of 'individual dignity' in order to eliminate discrimination against LGBT people."

On the same day, in front of the LDP head office in Tokyo, about 100 LGBT people and their supporters shouted, "LDP, Stop discrimination!", protesting against the discriminatory remarks made by the two LDP lawmakers.

Past related article:
> JCP approves CDPJ/LDP-drafted amendments to LGBT bill [May 15, 2021]