1,300 Years of LGBTQ+ History and Bisexual Samurai Will Change Your View on Japan
LDP lawmaker’s disrespect for same-sex marriage provoked a backlash
In June 2022, booklets shared at the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP)’s internal meeting with the Shinto political league shocked the Japanese. The gathering aimed for a better understanding of true homosexuality and same-sex marriage. And the brochure included a comment by a Christian scholar that claimed homosexuality is an acquired mental disorder or addiction.
As the issue came to the surface, it rippled outside to the LGBTQ+ community in Japan. 51,503 people signed an online petition that demanded the collection of booklets to prevent discrimination against LGBTQ+ people.
The Reality of LGBTQ+ in Japan
Since 2015, Japanese local municipalities have gradually implemented “partnership certificates” to provide same-sex couples legal recognition. However, same-sex marriage is still illegal in this country, and some politicians are publicly against it.
For instance, an Upper House lawmaker’s campaign video recently caused a blowup on social media. It was Abe’s ex-political affairs secretary, Yoshiyuki Inoue. In the video shot on the street during his campaign, he made an…
