What had been limited to eight prefectures and a few small pockets across the country is now finally coming to the entire Tokyo area. Same-sex partnerships and civil unions will be recognized.
Starting a year ago, the Tokyo Metropolitan government accepted a petition to enact a same-sex partnership program that would cover the entire metropolitan area. Until recently only fifteen areas within the Tokyo government (Shibuya being the most famous of them) were recognizing and issuing same-sex partnership certificates with limited recognition and benefits equal to that of legally recognized heterosexual marriages. While it gave same-sex couples the ability to rent apartments together, it didn’t combat restrictions of hospital visits or similar discrimination. It also severely limited where couples could settle and live within the Tokyo area, as well as the whole country, should couples desire to relocate but still be recognized.
Set to go into effect in November this year, the entire Tokyo Metropolitan area will be recognizing same-sex unions. This new system will also enact new legal recognitions that individual programs didn’t have. One of the most noteworthy additions is that the metropolitan-wide program will acknowledge partnerships of foreign nationals as well as native citizens. Those who already have children will be able to have their kids’ names listed on the certificate, making their same-sex partner a legal guardian or second mother/father.
As of May 2022, the program is still in the drafting phases with some restrictions and privileges still being considered. Such issues include consent to medical attention given on behalf of one’s partner.
It should be noted that this is still not the legalization and recognition of same-sex marriage within the nation, but a small step towards it.
Source: Mainichi Japan
