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Osaka ward officially declares support for LGBT community

19 Comments
By Preston Phro

Though attitudes toward the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) community in Japan are difficult to pin down, it’s not uncommon to find that the average citizen is unaware that such a community even exists.

While popular writer and talk-show host Matsuko Deluxe has done a lot to push LGBT issues into the spotlight, there are still many hurdles for sexual minorities in Japan to overcome. However, one municipal government in Osaka is taking charge of the situation by officially declaring their support for the LGBT community.

Yodogawa Ward lies in the north of Osaka Prefecture and is home to roughly 174,000 people in addition to a number of temples, shrines, and Yodo River. This year, the ward also started taking active steps to increase awareness and understanding of the LGBT community by hosting events and talks. And this month, the ward announced a declaration of support for all LGBT people and its intention to provide training for municipal staff and outreach education.

Going back a few months to June, the ward hosted a talk session in which Koyuki Higashi and her partner Hiroko, the first same-sex couple to get married at Tokyo Disneyland, and U.S. Consul General in Osaka, Patrick Linehan, shared their experiences and thoughts as members of the LGBT community. A video from Koyuki and Hiroko’s portion of the talk has even been uploaded to the ward’s official YouTube page.

In their very personal talk, the couple described some of the struggles that sexual minorities face in Japan, which may be familiar to people in other countries like the United States. In addition to being unable to legally register their marriage, the pair explained that finding a place to live is always difficult as they’re forced to look for “room share” housing. The couple also detailed how, without a legal marriage, they’re unable to make medical decisions for one another in emergency situations.

Consul General Linehan also spoke at the event. The gay American diplomat, whose husband is Brazilian-Japanese, has been actively working to improve acceptance and understanding of LGBT members in Japan and other countries.

Considering the June talk, it’s not particularly surprising that Yodogawa Ward is making this declaration – but it is still a remarkable step.

As Maki Muraki, the main representative for the Japanese LGBT rights group Nijiiro Diversity (“nijiiro” means “rainbow-colored” in Japanese), pointed out, this is the first governmental body in Japan to specifically support sexual minorities. The ward’s pledge, translated below, is simple–but surely uplifting for LGBT people living in a country where they are poorly understood at best.

The head of the ward, Masafumi Sakaki, who took office just last August, has been instrumental in this movement, earning himself much love from the LGBT community in Japan. The politician, an active Twitter user, has received numerous tweets from happy LGBT members, groups, and allies on the social network, showing just how meaningful these first steps are to sexual minorities in Japan.

Obviously, LGBT teens suffer from bullying and depression in Japan as in many other countries – with the rate of attempted suicide among gay male teens six times that of their non-LGBT peers, according to a recent university study. In a country where “the nail that sticks out gets hammered down,” it’s almost expected that minorities will suffer some form of discrimination, which makes Yodogawa Ward’s pledge all the more important.

Sources: Naver Matome, gladxx, Yodogawa Ward, Twitter

Read more stories from RocketNews24. -- Japanese LGBT Poster Might Be Slightly Biased -- Otaku Marriage Hunting Masquerade Ball a Rousing Success -- Oh, Japan, You Make Me So Mad Sometimes

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19 Comments
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The only way around it that people in Japan have, that I've heard of, is adoption of one of the couple by the other.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

While popular writer and talk-show host Matsuko Deluxe has done a lot to push LGBT issues into the spotlight,

How? By sitting there eating donuts?

-2 ( +4 / -6 )

Counsel General Lineham should be the next embassador to Japan!!

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Well done Yodogawa Ward! Let's hope there is some sort of domino effect.

7 ( +10 / -3 )

zenkan:

Yes, let's hope there are ripple effects to Tokyo which will host the Olympics in 2020. It'll send another message to Sochi that the Olympics is for everyone.

While thankfully you don't get to see the gay bashing common in the west, you just don't see that many gay role models in Japan either. The other week, I was watching the TV and there was a segment with all the gay/trans tarentos - Deluxe, Mitsu Mangrove, Kaba-chan, Haruna Ai, etc. Yes - you're typical stereotypical effeminate, balls-cut-off, non-threatening comedians. Nothing against them, but Japan is never going to take the LGBT community seriously with this crowd. All that was missing was HG and Mikawa Kenichi. There are quite a few Japanese actors who are rumored/known to be gay, but you're just never going to see them out.

3 ( +7 / -4 )

Some movie theater chains have discount tickets on "Couples Day," (one man/one woman). I wonder if/when theater chains will say, "Any two people can get tickets for the discounted price on couples day."

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Shame on Shinjukju 3-chome for not getting in on this first!

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

Wakarimasen, it is Shinjuku-2 chome, not 3 chome. But I agree, Shinjuku should have been first. One problem was Ishihara, who vocally despised gays and other types.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

MariaSep. 10, 2013 - 08:04AM JST The only way around it that people in Japan have, that I've heard of, is adoption of one of the couple by the other.

I heard from friends of mine that immigration has been working to close this loophole, and while they can't do much about Japanese gays adopting their Japanese neko, they can effectively stop foreign gays or Japanese gays with foreign partners.

Look, this is a nice step forward, but it is one ward out of dozens in a big city out of hundreds of big cities. It is a start.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Is the support only for LGBT without tattoos?

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Here we go... More fodder for the LGBT propaganda machine...

-5 ( +2 / -7 )

Bravo, Yodogawa Ward for taking this initiative. I hope your example will open up dialogue all over Japan so that all members of the LGBT community can be out and proud.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

Here we go... More fodder for the LGBT propaganda machine...

I prefer to call it steps towards equality.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

I don't see how making someone aware of the existence of another form of life fits the requirement of propaganda. It would be propaganda if the city was promoting events to say this form of life is right or wrong. Housing, health care, and legacy regulations are things that DESPERATELY need evaluation in Japan. If this is the avenue used to make the country better, so be it.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Definately a step in the right direction, but it's a long hike. Every journey begins with a single step but it is peoples understandings generally which need to be enlightened.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Some see this issue as maladaptive.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

I've always thought Japan would be one of the first Asian countries to have same sex marriage. I base this because there is no viscerally opposed sector of Japanese society against this (i.e. akin to religious right in the US). All you need is some skillful horse-dealers in the Diet and votes can get traded for this issue or the other.

BTW, I've read surveys of official political party stands regarding LGBT and most were downright neutral to supportive.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Japanese are always in denial even in this subject. They will come out of their closets, just like the skeletons that have recently been coming out, and the place country will become big rainbow land. They already have their symbol, the rainbow bridge.

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

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