TokyoDev supports the legalization of same-sex marriage in Japan

Photo of Paul McMahon

Paul McMahon

Founder

Japan’s lack of recognition for same-sex marriage doesn’t affect me personally, but it does affect people I care about. So when I saw Business for Marriage Equality, a campaign that highlights 500+ companies and organizations that support legalization of same-sex marriage, I immediately had TokyoDev join it.

TokyoDev unequivocally supports LGBT+ rights, including same-sex marriage.

Japan does not currently recognize same-sex marriages or civil unions. While the same-sex partnership systems offered by municipalities and prefectures cover 85% of the population, these provide limited benefits, and are not equivalent to legal recognition. Several courts have ruled that the lack of legal recognition is unconstitutional, most recently the Tokyo High Court. But the fact remains that same-sex couples in Japan lack the fundamental rights granted to heterosexual ones.

Beyond the moral issues this inequality raises, it also causes practical ones. Globally, same-sex marriage is recognized in 36 countries, whose citizens represent 20% of the world’s population. Lack of a clear legal framework for acknowledging same-sex unions makes the relocation of foreign same-sex couples to Japan fraught with difficulty.

For instance, if both partners are non-Japanese and one of them relocates to Japan on a working visa, the other may be able to come on a designated activities visa, though those visas can be difficult to acquire. However, a non-Japanese person married to a Japanese citizen is ineligible for such a visa.

This uncertainty about whether a couple can relocate together—not to mention the questions it raises about what discrimination they may face—means that talented individuals who would otherwise enthusiastically relocate to Japan are not doing so. I’ve observed their reluctance firsthand. As Japan needs international developers, this lack of legal equality for same-sex relationships is holding the country back by damaging its impression among skilled talent overseas.

I’m optimistic about the future, though. Momentum continues to build around the legalization of same-sex marriage here, and I think it is inevitable that it will eventually be achieved. I hope that our support contributes in a small way to help those affected, until the day of legalization arrives.

More about the author

Photo of Paul McMahon

Paul McMahon

Founder

Paul is a Canadian software developer who has been living in Japan since 2006. Since 2011 he’s been helping other developers start and grow their careers in Japan through TokyoDev.

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