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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　”We are now starting to make initiatives to support LGBT community and we hope everybody can live freely and embrace sexual diversity in our city.” On August 10th, Kenji Ozeki, the mayor of Seki City, officially announced “LGBT-friendly Declaration” in front of City Welfare Center. As many as 100 people attended the ceremony and released rainbow-colored balloons into the air. 　Seki City is the first municipality in Tokai Region that officially announces support for LGBT community. In 2013, Yodogawa Ward, Osaka declared the first declaration of support for LGBT community in Japan and Naha City in Okinawa, Takarazuka City in
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LAWSON store staff cleaning up the street at Tokyo Rainbow Festival The Nikkei reported LAWSON, INC., the second largest convenience store in Japan, started a new team aimed at improving its working conditions for LGBT employees. The team consists of four employees from the personnel department and is striving to achieve a better understanding of LGBTs among all the employees. The new team invited experts in LGBT issues to its first in-house seminar and approximately 50 employees working in the headquarter learned a basic knowledge of sexual diversity and the issues facing LGBTs in the workplace in Japan and in
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The mayor of Chiba City, Toshihito Kumagaya. On November 10th, it was announced that Chiba City will revise its work regulations to allow its city officials living with their same-sex partners to take marriage and nursing leaves of absence. Same-sex partners will be treated as equivalent to married couples starting in January 1st, 2017. This policy change is the first of its kind for local governments in Japan. The city officials with same-sex partners will be able to take the same leaves of absence as heterosexual couples. When they get partnered/married, they can take a 6- day partnership leave if
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On June 1st, Takarazuka City, Hyogo Prefecture, started issuing same-sex partnership certificates that officially recognize same-sex couples. The city became the 4th municipality after Shibuya and Setagaya Ward in Tokyo, and Iga City in Mie Prefecture started issuing similar official certificates to same-sex couples. It is the first city in Hyogo Prefecture that recognizes same-sex couples and another city in Hyogo Prefecture, Mita City is now considering adopting the same partnership system. Takarazuka City now issues same-sex partnership certificates and allows any same-sex couple, who lives in the city, or is going to move to the city, to receive the
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Japan Transocean Air (JTA) announces support for LGBT community by allowing LGBT people to share their miles and inherit mileage from one another. Japan Airlines (JAL) announced to recognize same-sex partners as a family member, allowing them to share their miles this last February. JTA is an affiliated company of JAL. “We decided to take a supportive stand for LGBT community so that we can create a system that accepts and respects diversity in society. We have allowed same-sex partners to share their miles since last February, like other straight couples and families do.” JAL and JTA announced, according to
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