Iga city has been famous for Igaueno castle and Ninja. From now on, Iga goes down in history as 3rd city in Japan which recognized same-sex partnership. On February 16th, Iga City, Mie Prefecture, announced that they officially will start recognizing same-sex couples as equivalent to marriage in April. Iga City is now the third municipality to recognize same-sex couples. Last year, Shibuya and Setagaya wards also introduced same-sex partnership certificates. Iga City now aims to raise the awareness of sexual minority and show respect to their human rights. Iga City introduced a system similar to Setagaya ward’s. Same-sex couples
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A J3 soccer team based in Okinawa called”FC Ryukyu” adopted a new uniform with a rainbow-colored left sleeve. It is the first attempt to show acceptance and understanding of LGBT people among all Japanese sport teams. On February 12th, “FC Ryukyu” announced 5 new players and showed the team’s new uniform in Naha City, Okinawa. midfielder Juan, forward Pablo, forward Leonard, defender Shuhei, Takizawa, and defender Katsuhiro Hamada, who officially joined the team last January, attended the press conference. Mr. Takizawa and Mr. Hamada were wearing the new uniform with a rainbow-colored left sleeve. A big rainbow flag and the
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Ahsh Inc., a wedding company in Osaka started their new service “Equal Wedding Japan” that offers Japanese style wedding ceremony to international same-sex couples. Ahsh Inc. provides international same-sex couples and transgender couples with a variety of Japanese traditional wedding clothes. International same-sex-couples and transgender couples are able to hold a wedding ceremony in places such as a Japanese traditional house in Kyoto, a Nohgaku stage, a Japanese style shrine in a hotel, and Toei Kyoto Studio Park. All the procedures will be taken care of by English-speaking assistants. On Ahsh Inc.’s website, you can see great pictures of same-sex
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The 89th Kinema Junpo Magazine Best Ten Films was announced and Ryosuke Hashiguchi, an openly gay film director won the awards for Best Japanese Director and Best Japanese Screenwriter. His latest film, “Koibitotachi”(The Lovers), ranked 1st among the top ten films and Atsushi Shinohara, who plays the lead in “Koibitotatchi”(The Lovers), won the award for Best New Actor. Hashiguchi’s latest film,“Koibitotachi”(The Lovers)”, which is his first feature film in 7 years, was released last November. The film portrays lives of three people living with diverse backgrounds. Atsushi, whose wife was killed by a random killer on the street, still remains
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Staff of “Kobo Dormitory” is making bed. “Kobo Dormitory,”which means “rainbow hope dormitory,” a private residence for LGBT people living with mental disorder, opened in Nagoya. The group home was built by those who also suffer from depression and other mental disorders in the hope of providing a safe environment for people living with mental disorders. “Kobo Dormitory” is sponsored by “Kobo-Kai”, a general incorporated association that supports LGBT individuals in Nagoya City. “Kobo-Kai” runs the group home and supports their residents based on Services and Supports for Persons with Disabilities Act. 6 people with mental disorders, such as depression
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On October 29th, Lifenet Insurance Co. announced that same-sex couples will be allowed to designate their same-sex partners as their beneficiaries and receive proceeds after the death of their policy holders from November 4th. With an interview, if needed, and the submission of documents confirming the two are in a relationship and lives together, same-sex couples can choose their partners as beneficiaries of life insurance. There are some requirements which have to be met such as the length of living together, however, Lifenet Insurance Co. acknowledges them as couples anywhere in Japan.(Certificates issued by Shibuya ward and Setagaya ward are
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On November 5th, Setagaya Ward started accepting applications and issuing partnership certificates to same-sex couples. The mayor of Setagaya Ward handed partnership certificates to five same-sex couples. “I hereby certify that your relationship with your partner is equivalent to marriage. I wish for you great happiness together.” Some of the couples were crying with joy. According to Setagaya Ward Office, another two couples submitted the application on that day. In total, seven couples were issued with partnership certificates on the first day. One of the couples, Tsukasa Nakagawa, a photographer, and Yukiya Terai, a cooking specialist, told the reporters that
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On November 5th, 2015, Shibuya Ward started to issue certificates recognizing same-sex couples as “equal to marriage.” Hiroko Masuhara and Koyuki Higashi became the first officially recognized same-sex couple in Japan. Ms.Masuhara and Ms.Higashi ,who had already applied for the partnership document on October 28th, visited the ward office right after it opened at 8:30 a.m. and received the certificate. “The contact person said to us ‘Congratulations! May the rest of your days be filled with happiness.’ I am really happy that our city recognizes us as family. With this certificate, I would like to try new things that we
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On October 1st, Mr. Nakagawa – Mayor of Nara prefecture has announced to be a member of the IGLTA (International Gay & Lesbian Travel Association) as the first Japanese local government to do so. A LGBT Seminar for the hospitality industry was held in Tokyo on September 29th and in Kyoto on September 30th, 2015. (The organizer was Out Asia Travel)  Ms. LoAnn Halden – Public relations director of IGLTA – was one of the speakers, and she visited the Nakagawa mayor in Nara city hall on October 1st, 2015. Ms. LoAnn Halden said “It is important to show the
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