Japan is to discuss same-sex marriage

One of the leading world economics and innovation pioneers Japan is also very conservative country. For instance, Japanese legislation is silent about LGBTQ people providing them neither rights no protection. The situation may however change soon. Most surprisingly, the call to revise the country’s constitution came from the ally of the conservative PM Shinzo Abe. The current version of the constitution dated back to the early post-World War II times reads: “Marriage shall be based only on the mutual consent of both sexes and it shall be maintained through mutual cooperation with the equal rights of husband and wife as a basis”.

Based on this statement many same-sex couples were rejected to legally register their relationships. For the conservative Japanese society it is absolutely natural to strictly follow the law. It is also hard to make fundamental changes. At the same time, LGBTQ people represent an integral part of modern Japanese society and no open hatred to the community has been observed or exercised. Current Japanese administration is determined to solve complex problems. “It is important to proceed with debate without any taboo, including of the idea that a man can marry a man and a woman can marry a woman,” said Hakubun Shimomura, former Education Minister in interview to NHK. Why not to try making life a little bit easier for Japanese?