Japan court docket guidelines same-sex marriage ban constitutional, however holds out hope By Reuters

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© Reuters. Plaintiffs maintain placards outdoors the court docket after listening to the ruling on same-sex marriage, in Tokyo, Japan, November 30, 2022. Placards learn “A step in direction of Marriage Equality”. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-Hoon

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By Elaine Lies

TOKYO (Reuters) -A court docket stated on Wednesday that Japan’s ban on same-sex marriage was constitutional, delivering a blow to LGBTQ rights with the second such ruling in the one G7 nation the place same-sex marriage just isn’t permitted.

However in what plaintiffs took as an indication of hope, the Tokyo district court docket ruling additionally stated the absence of any authorized system for same-sex {couples} to have households was an infringement of their human rights.

Japan’s structure defines marriage as based mostly on “the mutual consent of each sexes,” and the ruling occasion of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has disclosed no plans but to assessment the matter or suggest laws.

The court docket dominated that banning same-sex marriage was in keeping with the structure, reaching the identical conclusion as a court docket in Osaka in June. A court docket in Sapporo, northern Japan, final yr raised hopes when it dominated the ban was unconstitutional.

Eight folks in 4 {couples} have been concerned within the case, saying the same-sex marriage ban contravenes their human rights. That they had additionally demanded 1 million yen every in damages, a requirement the court docket rejected.

The choice got here a day after the U.S. Senate handed a same-sex marriage safety invoice and Singapore lifted a ban on homosexual intercourse however restricted the prospects for legalising same-sex marriage.