national

Ibaraki Prefecture to recognize partnerships for LGBT couples from July

21 Comments

The requested article has expired, and is no longer available. Any related articles, and user comments are shown below.

© KYODO

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

21 Comments
Login to comment

The ball is rolling, and hopefully it will snowball it's way to Kasumigaseki!

Time for the national diet to get their proverbial shite together and get this done! This piecemeal way of dealing with this issue is not going to do any good for anyone.

Abe get it done!

5 ( +14 / -9 )

And let the (same) debate begin...

3 ( +5 / -2 )

Good for them.

3 ( +10 / -7 )

Well done - slowly, local and regional govts are doing what they can. The surgery consent thing is very important, though presumably not complete, unless it means the partner can be legally considered next of kin?

8 ( +12 / -4 )

Good on them. They've done what they can at the prefectural level.

I think it's actually a good way to seek progress in Japan. If change can't be done at national level, focus on getting lesser change first at prefectural level. As this extends across the country, it strengthens the case for national change.

This could be used by women for example, to ensure their prefectural government has stronger anti-sexual discrimination rules than at national level. Permanent residents could use it to get the vote at local and prefectural level etc.

5 ( +10 / -5 )

I’m glad they can get access to some things they couldn’t before. Just don’t call it “marriage” and it’s fine.

-11 ( +4 / -15 )

...the certificate is not legally binding...

A typical bureaucratic move, so it can be ignored without penalty. Make it legal.

3 ( +8 / -5 )

Good for them. Japan historically has never been anti-LGBT unlike The West where they have faced prosecution.

-4 ( +5 / -9 )

Let them be treated equally, but keep their definitions separate.

-11 ( +1 / -12 )

Good on Ibaraki-ken for doing this, but without the support of the central government the certificate is, as the article states "not legally binding" and is recognized by just a few Prefecture run institutions.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Just don’t call it “marriage” and it’s fine.

Why? Because you are hung up on the definition of a "word" ?

Let them be treated equally, but keep their definitions separate

Dont even realize that you are in fact supporting discrimination.

The meanings of words change over time, and this is one that must adapt and change as well! If it was just about "gay" or "fag" we would be talking about, being happy or a cigarette or maybe lump of lit coal!

But you can't use them today with those meanings because everyone else uses them differently, and marriage should be inclusive of ALL.

It really is out of fear or some "phobia" that people can not accept the word marriage being used.

8 ( +9 / -1 )

While it is refreshing to see these changes coming about there are still people who are "out in the cold" because of they're sexual inclinations and I refer to the B&D, S&M, Frottage,Coprophillia devotees--the list goes on. And if anyone thinks that this is "beyond the pale" don't forget that there was a time in some countries (England for one) that one of the sexual practices of Gay men was punishable by death. There would probably many young people in many countries who are afraid to "come out " because of societies attitudes to what are regarded as "peculiar" or "perverted" practices. Just as it was for the LBGTQI people. Hopefully things will change for these people too.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

Japan has always been "liberal" as to defining what constitutes a family. It allowed marriage of a male into a female family and technically inherit the family's name and estate. It allowed adopting of children by mutual agreement of parents and by re-registering into the family registry. However, it has always maintained that marriage is between a male and a female. That assured the family name and the estate remained within the "blood related" heirs. It has been time tested for thousands of years in most societies.

This new process of recognizing gay and other couples only broadens the family concept but throws a wrench into the concept of "blood related" heirs. Since "children" must be either by "adoption" or from previous birth child from a previous coupling with a person of the opposite sex.

It also requires a new registration process and system for the family registry. Will there be a "double registry" for each of the couple? Will there be a primary and a secondary when the estate or the estates must be processed?

It is a huge logistical problem also for taxation and for any government benefits that are designed for current male-female blood line family concept and system. Religious and social acceptance may be alright, but for legal and government logistical system, it will be a huge problem, even with the advanced data keeping and processing systems available today.

All I can say is... good luck.

It certainly cannot identify children immediately by DNA, but by cross checking family registry and finding the "real" parent if a child. So police and hospitals will have much more to consider when keeping their ID records. They already have problems with record keeping and confidentiality problems of adoption at birth and surrogate mothers and fathers. Japan had a similar problem after the A Bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, so they are well aware of the ID problems. In that sense, the lawmakers may balk for a long while.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

Quite simply, the government just needs to get out of the marriage business. All the government should be doing is ensuring people's rights are not violated, not sitting there restricting them via sheets of paper.

If one man or woman wants to give another man or woman, or even two or three, equal access to his or her private life and possessions, is of sound mind and not being coerced, all the government needs to do is sit down, shut up and fork over documentation to that effect so that other institutions won't get in their way.

Marriage is between them and whoever else wants to be a party. Its just another in a long line of examples where the government needs to get its grubby paws off and get back in its cave.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Quite simply, the government just needs to get out of the marriage business. All the government should be doing is ensuring people's rights are not violated, not sitting there restricting them via sheets of paper.

The government is really not in the marriage business, it's in the registration business. Just like having to register your residence when you move into a new city, registering and licensing your vehicle, registering a death, registering a divorce and the list goes on.

There are current laws and requirements to get any of these licenses, and the current law does not allow people of the same sex to get married. So the law has to be changed, that's all.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Yubaru, your car and area of residence are directly pertinent to your relationship with the state, as they are related to services you receive through tax expenditure. Marriage isn't, therefore the government has no right to have any restrictions on it.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Yubaru, your car and area of residence are directly pertinent to your relationship with the state, as they are related to services you receive through tax expenditure. Marriage isn't, therefore the government has no right to have any restrictions on it.

Your marriage is also as well, as point out to me as well earlier, there are other advantages that a married couple have through the state that single people do not get.

So the government has a right to dictate the laws regarding marriage, and it's time for the archaic laws here, instituted by a foreign power, following WWII, be changed!

When same sex marriage is eventually recognized here I wonder what your argument against it will be then?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

There are current laws and requirements to get any of these licenses, and the current law does not allow people of the same sex to get married. So the law has to be changed, that's all.

I totally agree! I can't wait for the law to be changed so I can marry multiple teenage girls and a few pets (not for some weird fetish, but because the tax benefits will be so awesome!) Anyway, like they said in the 60's, "Free Love!!"

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

I totally agree! I can't wait for the law to be changed so I can marry multiple teenage girls and a few pets (not for some weird fetish, but because the tax benefits will be so awesome!) Anyway, like they said in the 60's, "Free Love!!"

If you equate recognizing same sex marriage with polygamy or some other fetish, you have issues that only a professional can assist you with.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

If you equate recognizing same sex marriage with polygamy or some other fetish, you have issues that only a professional can assist you with.

People used to say the same the thing about gay "marriage" but in time, people will accept our lifestyle too!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Login to leave a comment

Facebook users

Use your Facebook account to login or register with JapanToday. By doing so, you will also receive an email inviting you to receive our news alerts.

Facebook Connect

Login with your JapanToday account

User registration

Articles, Offers & Useful Resources

A mix of what's trending on our other sites