Japan

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀   

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀   

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀ ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

—————— ✦ ——— :jp: ——— ✦ —————

Hello and welcome back to the galaxy,

I’m your host and Journalist Leader,

Theodore. Today, I’m back with another

edition of the #takeover series. For this

post I’ll be discussing LGBT+ culture in

Japan. Let’s get right into it!

—————— ✦ ——— :jp: ——— ✦ ——————

In a poll from 2020, it was found that

about one in every ten people in Japan

identifies somewhere within the LGBT+

community.

Within this, it was found that about

2.8% of people identified as bisexual,

people questioning their sexuality was

1.4%, and people identifying as gay or

asexual were both at 0.9%, the rest

being made up of various other

identities.

In regards to gender identities, about

2.5% stated non-binary, 1.8% identifies

as transgender, and 1.2% were

questioning their gender identity.

——— ✦ ———

In another poll, surveyors found that

around 83.9% of people claimed to not

know anyone identifying within the

LGBT+ community, while also finding

that around 78% of Japanese people

were still in the closet.

Furthermore, it was found that around

91% of people heard of the acronym

LGBT+ and 57.1% of people knew what

it stood for.

Overall, being a part of the LGBT+

community is legal and welcomed in

Japan.

LGBT+ are not restricted in

the religious eye, including the traditional

religion, Shinto. This also includes

Buddhism and Confucianism.

of the LGBT+ community are

allowed to serve in the military so long

as it does not cause any fights or issues.

——— ✦ ———

During a brief period of 1872-1880,

same sex couples were illegal. This

happened near the beginning of the

Meiji era and was done in attempts to

fit the new found Western culture and

the Qing legal codes. Since then it has

been made and remained legal to take

part in same sex couples.

While same-sex couples are not able to

marry, it is possible this could change in

the future. Same-sex couples are not

recognized in partnership on a

government level meaning they cannot

gain a visa through this way and are

generally not recognized even if married

in a country where same-sex marriage is

legal.

On the other hand, there is an established

partnership system which is in place

allowing them to be recognized below a

government level. This allows them to be

recognized as a couple for situations such

as emergencies/hospital visits, renting an

apartment together, and etc. In order to

get recognized for this, the couple needs a

proof of partnership document. This system

is known as the Shibuya System.

Same-sex couples are unable to legally

adopt in Japan and lesbian couples

cannot get IVF or insemination. However,

there’s been at least one case of a same-

sex couple becoming foster parents.

——— ✦ ———

As a whole, LGBT+ are not

protected from discrimination at a

national level. In 2013, Yodogawa ku,

Osaka began to the inclusion

of the LGBT+ community, followed by

Naha just two years later.

In 2018, the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly

ed a law which prohibited

discrimination based off of gender and

sexual identities. Later that year multiple

political parties introduced “Proposed

Law on the Promotion of the Elimination

of Discrimination based on Sexual

Orientation and Gender Identity” to the

House of Representatives. This bill

prohibited bullying and harassment at

school based on gender and sexuality.

Transgender people are allowed to

legally changed their gender under the

requirements of being over the age of

twenty-two, unmarried, no children,

having undergone or undergoing sex

reassignment surgery, and sterilization.

One of the most well known pride

events takes place in April-May. This

event is known as the Tokyo Rainbow

Pride. This event is held to promote

awareness and equality for

of the LGBT+ community. This holds

over 60 different events ranging from

talks, drag shows, and musical

performances, all held over the span

of one week and along a 3k distance.

Another major event known as Pink Dot

Okinawa. This event happens in July

and is known for its music, dancing,

and beach parties.

——— ✦ ———

In Kumamoto, their Rainbow Parade

event, became a symbol for progress

and recovery after an earthquake hit.

There are many other events including

Mie Rainbow Festa, Tohoku Rainbow

Summer, Aomori Rainbow Parade, and

of course many others.

source . source . source . source

—————— ✦ ——— :jp: ——— ✦ ——————

Thank you all for tuning in, I hope you

all enjoyed. Unfortunately, that is all I

have for you today. I hope you all have

a good rest of your day/night and I’ll

see you all again soon. This has been

Theodore, now, tuning out.

—————— ✦ ——— :jp: ——— ✦ ——————