SoftBank, one of the biggest telecommunications and internet corporations that has a number of well known corporations under the umbrella of affiliations, such as Yahoo!, BOOKOFF, Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks, and ASKUL, has revised its in-house policies to recognize same-sex partners as family members and extend employee benefits to them. 　SoftBank had already started treating same-sex partners of its customers equally as ‘spouse’ and they were eligible for “Family Discount.” The company was considering revising its in-house policies that affected its 18,000 employees. Under the new in- house policies, same-sex partners of its employees are equally treated as ‘spouse’ and eligible
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　Japanese LGBT community has seen a series of social changes for the last few years such as official recognition of same-sex partners in multiple local municipalities. With these situations as a background, Kyoto Gender Equality Promotion Association conducted its first survey on LGBTs among youth and released the result. The 640 respondents aged 15-25 were randomly chosen from six universities and one college, and City Activity Center in Kyoto City. 　According to the result, 2.8% of the respondents identified themselves as sexual minority. All the respondents are young so many heterosexual respondents answered that they were supportive or acceptive of
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On March 23rd, DIAMOND,Inc, one of the biggest business book publishers, has released its new magazine ,”Oriijin.” The new magazine was named after the Japanese word; “Nijiiro,” which means “rainbow.” “Oriijin” is the reverse reading of “Nijiiro.” “Oriijin” aims at providing an easily readable information on “diversity & inclusion” systems that have been introduced to many companies and issues facing LGBTQ community in Japan and in the world. The magazine repeatedly uses its newly coined word, “Kokoro Style,” which means a state of mind that respects, with responsibility, different values of others. If we have “Kokoro Style,” we can respects
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“We would like to embrace sexual diversity by offering a grave to a same-sex couple.” ‘Shodaiji’ Temple, a temple of ‘Jodo Shinshu’ at Edogawa Ward, Tokyo, has announced a new service for same-sex couples who hope to share a grave together. In Japan, most people are buried at their family grave when they die. However, it has been difficult for same-sex couples to share a grave because same-sex couples are not legally treated as married. There is no laws that prohibit unmarried unions from getting buried in the same grave in Japan. However, according to Yokota Mutsumi, a senior research
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Mr. Hosoda speaking at Tokyo Rainbow Pride 2017(photo by Kakejiku) On March 12th, Tomoya Hosoda, 25, became the first openly transgender man to be elected in Iruma City, in the central region around Tokyo. Mr. Hosoda is the second transgender councilor in Japan. In 2003, Aya Kamikawa, a councilor at Setagaya Ward, Tokyo, became the first transgender councillor in Japan. There are four councillors from the LGBTQ community. Aya Kamikawa at Setagaya Ward(a transgender woman), Wataru Ishizaka at Nakano Ward(a gay man), Taiga Ishikawa at Toshima Ward(a gay man), and Mr.Hosoda in Iruma City. (An openly lesbian councillor, Kanako Otsuji,
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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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