Fukuoka city to recognize LGBT couples from April

Splendid - local govts are taking matters into their own hands, which will hopefully, eventually create a fait accompli for the bigwigs in Tokyo.

Excellent news and another step forward for equality.

Happy Valentine's!

Great, Fukuoka ! Way to go !!

Incredible news, and a sure way to grow support at a national level!

It takes one to change the city and the city to change the country. Way to go Fukuoka!

Yes a great move also I hope it will help boost the declining population number as well.

It may seem like a step in the right direction, but it’s only half a step. The documents are not a certificate of marriage. They are only a certificate of relationship.

Yes a great move also I hope it will help boost the declining population number as well.

Good point, couples may decide to reside there, with the new scheme in place. Thus boosting the local economy as well as population numbers.

And when same sex marriage is introduced, eventually, then perhaps adoptions will be considered, or surrogate parents.

All good news.

Great! Hopefully it spreads further. Well done, Fukuoka.

Amazing and big ups to you. Please now recognise racial and ethnic diversity.

Today I am proud of Japan :)

Better later than never.

the recognition does not entail legal rights or obligations but is expected to be used when couples rent city-run housing or undergo medical treatment requiring the consent of a family member at city hospitals.

It may be beneficial at hospitals, but submitting an application to rent a place will be met by an owner who either supports the idea of fabulous marriage, or does not. And if the owner does not, the couple will not be able to rent the unit.

Japan doesn't have laws against discrimination against sexual orientation - or at least doesn't enforce them, so there is nothing to stop owners from doing so.

Without a reply to function, it's difficult to know if people are down voting because they disagree with what I said, or if they are simply showing their disapproval at the contents.

I mean, my comment was about as neutral as you can get - just stating the facts, so being able to reply and express dissatisfaction with the way things are would give a more accurate reflection of what readers are actually thinking.

Food for thought.

@ Kidas Dom - absolutely right. Until it is made illegal to discriminate against gay couples, sadly landlords (and any other business) can discriminate at will, and ignore these “partnership oaths”. At least its a start though.

The Japanese government needs to legislate ultimately for equality: married partners need to be on the family register to be truly equal. But sadly under ultra-conservative Abe, who has made his views on this very clear several times, don’t hold your breath. There will absolutely need to be a new regime.

Well done to the cosmopolitan city of Fukuoka - and good luck to all couples!

but submitting an application to rent a place will be met by an owner who either supports the idea of fabulous marriage, or does not.

Perhaps you are being down voted because the article talks about govt run housing and not private run accommodation?

DisillusionedToday  05:38 pm JST

It may seem like a step in the right direction, but it’s only half a step. The

Why am I not surprised you have to find something negative about this news? Why can't the glass be half full? Happy Valentine's Day!

Or maybe, a few perspicacious souls saw through the barely-concealed irony of "fabulous", and discerned a modicum of ill-intent?

Or maybe, a few perspicacious souls saw through the barely-concealed irony of "fabulous", and discerned a modicum of ill-intent?

How is "fabulous" irony??

Maybe sarcasm, but irony? It's only irony if it WASN'T fabulous, but I called it fabulous.

Is it fabulous?

Unlike official marriages, the recognition does not entail legal rights or obligations

In other words, is a useless peace of paper that makes the local goverment seem like they are doing something without actually doing anything.

I'm tired of these "partnership schemes" that are completely useless. Look at the numbers, almost no one is using them, because they make no sense.

If people want more legal recognition, they just adopt their partner, like many do.

On the other hand, even thou Japan recognizes even incestuous heterosexual relationships as "civil-marriage relationships", the goverment of japan refuses to legally recognize under any circumstance same-sex relationships, to the point that they even refuse to give spouse visas to same-sex marriages from others countries, and give them "special visas", because they know that if the goverment ever recognizes same sex marriage at any level, the constitution will force them to recognize at all levels.

Personally speaking I hope that this does not require the couples to go through the discriminatory practice of needing to have their applications officially notarized, prior to being accepted, as Setagaya and other Tokyo wards require.

Traditional couples are not required to do so, yet LGBT couples must have that notarization to "prove" their relationship.

Details would be nice!

@Kidas Dom...food for thought.

Don't worry or think about the "thumbs up" or "thumbs down". believe it doesn't matter.

Say your piece and move on, if you worry about it, or are concerned, maybe this isn't the forum for you.

Another way to look at it, up or down, at least, (hopefully) people are actually reading what you wrote, and isn't THAT what's important?

@Nakanoguy - Why am I not surprised you have to find something negative about this news? Why can't the glass be half full?

half full or half empty, it’s still half a recognition of LGBT couples.

Tommy Jones - the majority everywhere.

the majority everywhere.

Don't you dare claim to speak for any majority except that of bigots and control freaks who try to dictate how others should live.

On the other hand, even thou Japan recognizes even incestuous heterosexual relationships as "civil-marriage relationships", 

What?

Another way to look at it, up or down, at least, (hopefully) people are actually reading what you wrote, and isn't THAT what's important?

Actually, none of it is important. But if you're going to to it, you might as well do it right.

Question: If Fukuoka's recent decision to recognize same sex unions were to lead to Fukuoka becoming the most heavily same sex couple populated city in Japan, would that be a good thing or not? And why?

Its good to recognize LGBT and good for local authorities to use what autonomy they have to take decisions without hiding behind national practices.

As a protest group LGBT are very well organized and a model to other minorities of what can be done.Since this will be read by many non-Japanese, I will just say that Fukuoka and other local authorities have the ability to allow NJ (such as permanent residents) to vote in local elections. No taxation without representation....

Maria:

Sorry, I down-thumbed you by mistake. Add on two thumbs-up.

Baby steps, but still steps, nonetheless.

Japan : Very good. From April, we'll recognise you. But between now and April, you don't exist!

This is the logic of some. But its very good to see the ch-ch-ch-ch-ch-changes!

As long as you move forward it's progression. No matter how small the steps. Another good day.

*joke...Much of the discrimination they face can apply to us foreigners too. Been turned away from many rental agencies

LGBTF in Japan?

LGBTF in Japan?

If the LGBT community did not welcome the F factor as well, they'd be bigots, no?

Request for clarification: Does the T in LGBT include “Trans-species”? This is a serious question. If some claim that there is no such thing as a “Trans-species” (person?), couldn’t another claim that there is no such thing as “Trans-gender”?

Prime81Feb. 14 05:26 pm JST

Yes a great move also I hope it will help boost the declining population number as well

Goes to show us that Liberals and Social Justice Warriors support a cause but don't understand the dynamics of human reproduction - Just to give them a lesson its takes a male and female to reproduce, if liberals and SJW think same sex coupling is going to start population boom they better be prepared for a big disappointment.

Without a reply to function, it's difficult to know if people are down voting because they disagree with what I said, or if they are simply showing their disapproval at the contents.

Because (insert one of the 10 generic anti-gay arguments you hear all the time)

On the other hand, even thou Japan recognizes even incestuous heterosexual relationships as "civil-marriage relationships", 

> What?

What you hear, incestuous relationships, even thou they cannot marry because the Civil Code explicitly prohibits it, there is precedent of incestuous couples being recongnizing their relationship as "事実婚" (De-facto marriage / Civil-marriage) which entitles them to many of the benefits of an actual marriage.

From April, we'll recognise you. But between now and April, you don't exist!

It's even worse. From April we still won't recognize your civil rights, but we will give you a piece of paper that claims that we care, but we won't help you in any actual way.

"...Unlike official marriages, the recognition does not entail legal rights or obligations..."

So, more lip-service. It's NICE lip-service, don't get me wrong. But it's still lip-service. Also, until there are anti-hate and anti-discrimination laws, it's even moreso.

a great move also I hope it will help boost the declining population number as well.

Unsure how same-sex marriage would do that. In any case, Fukuoka's population is not declining. It's increasing. One of the few parts of Japan outside Tokyo where that's the case.