The first ordinance that bans outing will be into effect in the city of KUNITACHI, Tokyo, the city officials announced on January 30th. It was approved in the city council last December and will take into effect from this April. Outing is the act of telling someone’s sexuality or sexual orientation to someone else without consent. The word “outing” widely spread through Japan after an university student at Hitotsubashi University threw himself off the school building and died in 2016. Before his suicide, he was outed without his consent by his classmate. (This happened in the city of KUNITACHI and
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Japan Broadcasting Corporation known as NHK announced its new morning TV drama titled ”Hanbun Aoi” (meaning “half blue”) will feature a gay character. The TV drama will start from April 2nd. The original novel of “Hanbun Aoi” was written by Eriko Kitagawa. one of the most popular scenario writers in Japan. The story is about an ambitious girl named Suzure Nireno living in a time of high economic growth in Japan. She is from a small town in Gifu Prefecture dreaming about becoming a successful manga writer for girls in Tokyo. She luckily has a chance to work as an
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Monex is to offer joint bank account services to same-sex couples, starting from December 19th. It will be the first trial of its kind in Japan. Opening a joint bank account enables same-sex couples to manage their assets together. Since they have equal ownership, the joint bank account can be used just like a normal bank account. When they want to close the joint bank account, their assets are separated as they have decided in advance. It has been difficult for same-sex couples to manage their assets together because the banks do not allow them to open a joint bank
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In March of this year, the news that a Taiwanese national received an eviction order after his beloved same-sex partner passed away spread among the Japanese gay community. They had been together for more than 20 years. After he was given the order, he asked for the revocation of the order by filing cases against the Japanese government, claiming that it is a violation of equality under the laws. Mr.G is a middle-aged gay man living in the region of Kanto. He came to Japan with a student visa in 1992 after his family kicked him out because of his
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December 4 through December 10 is Human Rights Week. The Ministry of Justice and National Human Rights Committee Federation have established December 4 to 10 as “Human Rights Week” to raise public awareness for the respect of human rights through various events on the topic. Many more prefectures have decided to hold seminars about LGBTQ this year. This year, Hiroshima Castle was illuminated in rainbow colors for the first time. With the help of Hiroshima Sexual Minority Association, Hiroshima Castle has become the first national heritage that was illuminated in rainbow colors as part of the political measures for LGBTQ.
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right:Nanae Takizawa, left:her partner Nanae Takizawa, a former professional volleyball player, openly came out as gay on a Japanese TV show that aired on November 16th. Nanae Takizawa had been known as “too beautiful for a volleyball player” and had been popular among volleyball fans when she joined a team “Pioneer Red Wings” in 2006. She retired in 2013. On the Japanese TV show, she appeared as an instructor for “Bijiri”, meaning nice- ass fitness. When she was asked whether she had someone special on the Japanese TV show, she openly came out as gay, saying that “Yes, I have never
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On November 8th, George Takei, one of the well-known actors from the movie “Star Trek”, visited Japan to exchange opinions with Diet members and also made his speech at the seminar held by Waseda University Gender Sexuality Center. The main purpose of his visit to Japan was to promote his new musical, “Allegiance”, which is based on his experience of Japanese internment. Mr. Takei says that he experienced discrimination as he grew up gay. In the 1950s and 1960s, the only place where he could be who he really was was the gay bar where a lot of his friends
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the center: Mr.Takashima, Mayor of Fukuoka City Kyushu Rainbow Pride 2017 took place on November 5th in Reisen Park, Fukuoka City, attracting as many as seven thousand participants. The venue was filled with excitement. In Reisen Park, the participants were enjoying booths run by Consulate of the United States in Fukuoka and many local companies such as Rainbow Soup and haco. Even big companies such as JAL and Hakata Marui were running booths. There were also some booths for children this year. Around the stage area, local drag queens, Bourbonne, Shimoji Masaaki, Kiyotaka, and members of Nijigumi Fight were entertaining
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A gay couple living in Osaka City has been recognized as foster parents in Osaka City. It is the first case in Japan that a gay couple became foster parents, according to municipal and central government officials. (there used to be a lesbian couple who was allowed to be a foster parent respectively and they started to live together with the foster child in Kanto region.) Last September, the gay couple sent their application form to the child guidance center to be foster parents. After taking multiple seminars required to deeply understand foster care system and its principles, the couple
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