Categories: WORLD

Japanese Court Upholds Ban On Same–S-e-x Marriage

Plaintiffs outside the Osaka district court in Japan on June 20. The court ruled the country's ban on same-sex marriage does not violate the constitution.

Plaintiffs outside the Osaka district court in Japan on June 20. The court ruled the country’s ban on same-sex marriage does not violate the constitution.

Japan’s ban on same-sex marriage is not unconstitutional, a court has ruled, dealing a blow to gay couples and activists seeking greater rights for the LGBTQ community.

Same-sex marriages in Asia

Japan, where homosexuality has been legal since 1880, is relatively liberal compared to some Asian nations.

For example, gay sex remains illegal in Singapore despite growing calls to change the colonial-era law.

India’s Supreme Court ruled in 2018 that gay sex was no longer a criminal offense. However, the country does not recognize same-sex marriages.

China also does not recognize same-sex marriages despite growing awareness of LGBTQ issues in the country. While there are no laws against same-sex relationships in China, it remains a taboo topic that is routinely scrutinized and even censored on social media.

Some corners of Asia have seen recent progress on the issue, however.

In 2019, the self-ruled island of Taiwan became the first place in Asia to legalize same-sex marriage.

And this month, Thailand edged closer to becoming the first place in Southeast Asia to legalize same-sex unions when lawmakers passed four different bills aiming to provide greater rights to gay couples, such as the ability to adopt children and manage assets jointly.