Japan Press Weekly

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2021 May 12 - 18 [POLITICS]

JCP approves CDPJ/LDP-drafted amendments to LGBT bill

A cross-party parliamentarians' league on LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people) issues, including the Japanese Communist Party, held its general assembly in the Diet building on May 14 and approved draft amendments agreed upon by the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and the Liberal Democratic Party to the LGBT equality bill. The CDPJ/LDP amendments contain a passage stating, "Discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity is unacceptable."

The JCP and other opposition parties, together with the ruling parties, will plan to jointly submit the revised bill to the Diet.

JCP member of the House of Councilors Tamura Tomoko in the general assembly said, "The inclusion of the passage, 'Discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity is unacceptable,' in the revised bill is a big step forward."

The CDPJ/LDP amendments state, "In accordance with the principle that all of the people, irrespective of their sexual orientation or gender identity, shall be respected as irreplaceable individuals who equally enjoy fundamental human rights, discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity is unacceptable." The CDPJ/LDP amendments changed the wording "sexual identity" to "gender identity".