The new law does not ensure the end of discrimination against sexual minorities, LGBTQ group says
Japan Alliance for LGBT Legislation has slammed a new law that aims to promote the understanding of sexual minorities. (File Photo: Yuichi YAMAZAKI/AFP)
A leading LGBTQ group slammed the Japanese government after the national parliament passed a law that the activists allege does not guarantee an end to discrimination toward sexual minorities in the country.
In a statement on June 13, Japan Alliance for LGBT Legislation said the legislation passed by the lower house of Diet, Japan’s legislative assembly, primarily safeguards the majority of the society and not the sexual minorities, Kyodo News reported.
The legislation "ignores the interests of LGBT people and instead caters to the side that exacerbates discrimination,” the group said.
According to the group, the bill has a clause stipulating that "all citizens can live with peace of mind," a section decried by critics for prioritizing safeguarding the rights of the majority in society.
The reaction came after the bill, which reportedly seeks to promote understanding of sexual minorities, was passed in the lower house on June 13. It is expected to be passed by the House of Councilors, the upper house, at the end of the current parliamentary session next week.
The government says the bill aims primarily at banning unjust discrimination against people based on sexual orientation as Japan lags behind the other Group of Seven (G7) advanced nations in terms of legal protections for sexual minorities.
As Japan lacks laws prohibiting discrimination against LGBT individuals and legalizing same-sex marriage or civil unions, pressure had been mounting both at home and abroad for Tokyo to put such legislation into effect.
The LGBTQ group alleged that in its current form, the legislation will impose additional challenges and hardships on sexual minorities if made into law.
Describing the public understanding of the diversity of sexual orientation and gender identity as "not necessarily sufficient,” the bill asks the government to formulate guidelines required for its implementation.
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida led Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and its coalition Komeito drafted the bill after accepting several proposals from opposition parties.
Despite this, the opposition parties including the Democratic Party of Japan legislators voted against the bill citing the definition of certain words within it which would negatively affect the practicality of the legislation.
The conservative lawmakers from LDP who uphold traditional family values, had opposed the bill initially but voted in favor considering Kishida’s desire to secure its passage during the Diet session scheduled to close June 21.
Earlier in 2021, cross-party lawmakers tried to present the bill in the legislature and clear it, however, this was blocked by the conservative wing of the LDP.
Several courts in Japan had ruled that the absence of legal recognition of same-sex marriage is in a state of unconstitutionality.
The courts cited Article 24 of Japan's Constitution which calls for enacting laws based on individual dignity and equality of the sexes.
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