Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is facing backlash after stating that the country’s ban on same-sex marriage is not discriminatory. Despite apologizing to the LGBTQ community weeks ago for homophobic comments made by a now-sacked aide, Kishida’s party remains under mounting pressure to improve LGBTQ rights in Japan. With more and more Japanese citizens supporting same-sex marriage, Kishida’s comments have been viewed as backpedaling on the promises he made in recent weeks.
Kishida’s stance on the issue was revealed during a recent question-and-answer session with an opposition lawmaker. He stated that he did not believe that disallowing same-sex couples to marry constituted unjust discrimination by the state, and also reiterated on Wednesday that a ban on same-sex marriage is not unconstitutional. However, local LGBTQ groups have accused him of contradicting his recent actions and say that his words do not align with recent precedent-setting court rulings in Japan.
Although the public attitude towards same-sex marriage has changed in Japan, with two-thirds of voters now supporting marriage equality, the country remains the only G7 nation that does not recognize same-sex unions. This has led to mounting pressure from activists and the global community, especially with Japan set to host the G7’s next meeting in May. While some couples have challenged the ban in court, the denial of legal protections to same-sex couples remains discriminatory. LGBTQ rights campaigners are calling on Kishida and his government to follow through on their commitments to improve LGBTQ rights in Japan and ensure that same-sex marriage is legally recognized.
As the country continues to grapple with this issue, it remains to be seen whether the government will take the necessary steps to address this inequality and bring about meaningful change for the LGBTQ community.