TIME TO CHANGE

Japan’s Failure to Recognize Same-Sex Marriage Breaks Country’s Constitution, Court Rules

Same-sex unions aren’t banned in Japan, but they’re not recognized by the country’s national government or most localities.

A Japanese court has ruled that the country’s failure to recognize same-sex marriages goes against its constitution—a landmark decision that could pile pressure on the government to change the law. Same-sex unions aren’t banned in Japan, but they’re not recognized by the national government or most localities, meaning that it’s the only G-7 country that is yet to recognize either same-sex civil unions or same-sex marriage. On Wednesday, Sapporo District Court in Hokkaido ruled that the government’s failure to recognize same-sex marriage is in breach of a section of the constitution that says there must be equal laws for everyone. It’s the first time that a court has ruled on the constitutionality of same-sex marriage in Japan. However, the ruling will not change the law, and same-sex marriages will not recognized in Japan until parliament enacts legislation, which lawmakers have repeatedly refused to do.