As Japan prepares to host the Group of Seven (G7) summit in Hiroshima in May, the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) is accelerating its discussion on a bill that would promote understanding of sexual minorities. Koichi Hagiuda, the policy chief of the LDP, announced on Sunday that he will make efforts to “forge a consensus” on the matter within the party. Currently, Japan is the only G7 country that does not legally recognize same-sex marriage or civil unions, as many members of the conservative LDP, led by Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, have opposed the concept.
Growing concerns among government officials that Japan will be criticized by other G7 nations for its lack of a legal framework to protect the human rights of LGBTQ individuals have led to increased discussion on the issue. Hagiuda, a key member of a conservative intraparty group within the LDP, stated that “unfair discrimination and prejudice must not be allowed.” However, many Japanese conservatives, who typically prioritize the country’s traditions, remain opposed to same-sex marriage, arguing that it may impact family life.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who has described himself as a dovish moderate, has adopted a cautious attitude towards recognizing same-sex marriage in Japan. Kishida, a veteran lawmaker representing a constituency in Hiroshima, has been eager to use the G7 summit to pitch his vision of a world without nuclear weapons. Issues surrounding sexual minorities in Japan have come under greater scrutiny after Kishida sacked one of his executive secretaries, Masayoshi Arai, earlier this month. Arai made remarks during an off-the-record conversation with reporters that he would “not want to live next door” to an LGBTQ couple and that he does “not even want to look at them.”