Same-sex Partnership Certificates Under Consideration in Nagoya City

2018:06:22

Pride parade in Nagoya

On June 22nd, Nagoya city announced its plan to start issuing same-sex partnership certificates.

Mayor Takashi Kawamura showed his positive attitude toward official recognition of same-sex partners in the city council this June. “We shouldn’t tolerate discrimination against same-sex partners. I have already made up my mind to start a same-sex partnership system,” the mayor said in response to the question asked by Councilor Asami Nishiyama regarding whether or not same- sex couples should be allowed to live together in city-owned apartments.

According to Chunichi Shimbun, Nagoya city is to conduct a survey on public awareness of sexual minority in the city.

“Niiiro Domannaka Parade” (meaning “the very rainbow colored parade “) has taken place in Nagoya city for the past few years. PROUD LIFE, the organization that holds the parade, submitted a petition to the city council in 2015 and it was accepted in September of that year.

In September of 2015, Councilor Nishiyama brought up the petition to ask the mayor what he thought about raising awareness and achieving better understanding of LGBTQ people in the city. The mayor responded that he would make an assessment of the situation immediately. He actually held hearings on that matter in November of that year.

However, nothing happened and time passed by. This year, Councilor Nishiyama finally heard the mayor say he will take action after reminding him of this matter again and again over the three years.

Nagoya city will be one of the major cities in Japan that officially recognize same-sex partners. Other local municipalities that recognize same-sex partners are Shibuya and Setagaya Wards in Tokyo, Sapporo city, Chiba city, Osaka city, Fukuoka city, and Naha city.

06/22/2018