Japan’s failure to recognize same-sex marriage is unconstitutional, court rules
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A Japanese court ruled on Wednesday that the government’s failure to recognize same-sex marriages is unconstitutional, a landmark decision that brought joy and hope to the LGBT community.
The case is the first of five similar lawsuits unfolding in Japanese courts, and it brings new pressure on the government to catch up with public opinion and legalize same-sex unions.
But the district court in the northern city of Sapporo denied a request by three same-sex couples for compensation of about $9,200 each for psychological damage after the authorities failed to register their marriages.
The judge cried as she delivered the ruling, local media reported, as did some of the plaintiffs.
Same-sex marriage is legal in some 29 countries or territories, but Taiwan is alone in Asia in legalizing same-sex unions, which it did in 2019.
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