On December 1st, 2016, The National Personnel Authority (NPA), one of the government agencies that manages personnel administration for national public employees in Japan, announced that regulations that aim to prevent sexual harassment will be revised and “behavior or an act based on prejudices toward sexual orientation or gender identity” will be included to the regulations. Discriminatory speech and behavior based on sexual orientation or gender identity will be subject to punishment. This will prevent LGBT discrimination by national public employees. Japan Alliance for LGBT Legislation(J-ALL) sees this revision as a great chance for NPA to improve current issues surrounding
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Yuji Mitsuya, an experienced voice actor in Japan, came out as gay on a TV show on January 12th. He is well known for anime characters such as Tatsuya Uesugi in Touch, Hyoma Aoi in Combattler V, Tongari in Kiteretsu Daihyakka, and Virgo Shaka in SAINT SEIYA, He kept dodging the subject by saying “I’m in the gray zone” for so long every time people asked whether he was gay or not. One of the cast on the show asked him why he stayed in the closet. “I have a brother and I wanted to wait for his retirement because
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Last year, SHISEIDO had a big booth and many staff attended Tokyo Rainbow Parade. On New Year’s Day, SHISEIDO, the biggest cosmetic company in Japan (5th biggest in the world), revised its work regulations and now recognizes same-sex partnerships as equivalent to marriage. The employees with same-sex partners are now able to receive separation allowances and condolence money. Both the full-time employees and the contract employees can take childcare and caregiver leaves. It is the first trial of its kind for cosmetic companies to recognize same-sex partnerships as equivalent to marriage. A set of documents, including utility receipts, copies of
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According to The Ryukyu Shimpo, Okinawa City Council of Social Welfare opened a consultation center for LGBT people in its building on January 5th. This center is the first consultation center for LGBT people in Okinawa. The city councils of social welfare in Tokyo and Osaka City have made leaflets and support programs for LGBT people, but the center in Okinawa City is the only consultation center for LGBT people in Japan. Teishiro Minami, one of the greatest gay rights activists in Japan, will supervise the center as a consultant. Mr. Minami, who lives in Uruma City in Okinawa now,
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Ryukyu Asahi Broadcasting Corporation’s media report said Urasoe City, Okinawa, issued “Rainbow City Urasoe Declaration” on New Year’s Day. The declaration is aimed at embracing sexual diversity in the city. On January 4th, the city hosted a ceremony in front of the city office and a rainbow flag was raised with the city flag. Yodogawa City, Osaka, issued a declaration for LGBTs and other local cities, such as Naha City in Okinawa, Takarazuka City in Hyogo, Hashimoto City in Wakayama, and Seki City in Gifu followed suit. Urasoe City is the 2nd city in Okinawa that has official support for
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