Japan court upholds ban on same-sex marriage

Tokyo: A Japanese court on Monday ruled that government’s ban on same-sex marriage is not ‘unconstitutional’.
The Osaka court found the ban on same-sex marriage to be constitutional, saying “there have not been enough discussions among people in Japan” on what kind of system is appropriate to realize benefits for same-sex couples who choose to live together, Kyodo News reported.
Three same-sex couples, residents of Aichi, Kyoto and Kagawa prefectures who had filed the suit, have sought one million yen ($7,400) each and argued that the current system in Japan which bars them to get married is “unjust discrimination” and said that the same-sex marriage should be accepted in accordance with the constitution that respects personal dignity.
The lawsuit revolved around the interpretation of marriage in Article 24 of the charter, which stipulates, “Marriage shall be based only on the mutual consent of b

oth sexes and it shall be maintained through mutual cooperation with the equal rights of husband and wife as a basis,” Kyodo reported.
Japan is the only nation among the G7 countries that has not recognized the same sex-marriage so far.
In March last year, the Sapporo District Court ruled that Japan’s civil law and family registration law, which do not acknowledge same-sex marriage, violate the constitutional guarantee of equality before the law, report said.
The ruling was hailed as a landmark for LGBTQ activists in Japan.
However, the Sapporo court dismissed their demand of 1 million yen each for psychological damages caused due to government’s negligence in amending the system. (UNI)

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