Another ward in Tokyo to recognize same-sex couples from August

I never understood why this is a problem anywhere. Let all couples be recognized.

It is a bit deeper than just love. If you are recognized as a couple you quality for tax funded benefits.

You have the right to be next of kin, which affects funeral arrangements and inheritance of property.

And hopefully, some long-lost distant relative won't have priority over someone who just "happened" to have spent decades together in a close, loving relationship with someone who has just died.

It was nott hat long ago that JT comments would have gone crazy over this. Now it is old news and it passes by with barely a comment.

It was nott hat long ago that JT comments would have gone crazy over this.

Maybe all the homophobic bigots who used to comment on stories like this have accepted that Japan is moving forward into the 21st. century and there's nothing they can do about it?

I never understood why this is a problem anywhere. Let all couples be recognized. Love doesn’t hurt others, and doesn’t infringe on anyone else’s method of expressing their own love.

Nice one Nakano!

Dominoes. This is great - local govts are taking matters into their own hands, and eventually, the national govt. will have no choice but to make it official to give everyone equal rights.

Great for them.

While other countries imprison, torture, and sometimes even kill those in the LGBT community, Japan is looking the other way and recognizing same sex couples, one municipality at a time.

Good deal. Much better for society as this results in people taking care of each other. Good for the couple and a better deal for society in the long run.

All countries should legally separate the common law couples and mixed sex with offspring couples as two different situations. For the tax purposes common law couples should pay more than singles living alone because they share expenses. Mixed couples should be in the same category and the word married should have no bearing on the tax and social benefits. Only those that have underage children should be called family and have supporting benefits to bring up their children. As for the private financial arrangements it should be same for anyone regardless of sex, it is simply a private matter. inheritance should be a private matter and one should be able to gift ones estate to anyone without government interference or taxation.

Another tiny step in the right direction.

Other than visiting their partner in the hospital, which by the way requires additional documentation anyway, what benefit does the certificate provide? Seems like they're just blowing smoke to me without more details.