Current Version
| Region | Japan |
| Issue | Right to change legal gender |
| Status | Legal, but requires surgery |
| Start Date | Apr 1, 2022 |
| End Date | now |
| Description | Amended Act No.111 of 2003 requires for transgender people to change their legal gender, (1) be at least 18 years of age, (2) not currently married, (3) no child less than 18 years, (4) infertile (no gonads or persistent lack of gonadal function), (5) and has a body which appears to have genital parts of those of the opposite sex. And also requires medical certificate by two or more psychiatrist. On October 16th 2023, a Japanese transgender man won his case in court to allow him to change his legal gender without sterilization. The law was deemed unconstitutional. It remains to be seen what changes will be made to the law and when they will come in effect. |
| Sources | https://elaws.e-gov.go.jp/document?lawid=415AC0100000111 https://www.courts.go.jp/saiban/syurui/syurui_kazi/kazi_06_23/index.html https://www.moj.go.jp/content/001300586.pdf https://www.hrw.org/news/2023/10/16/japan-court-rules-against-mandatory-transgender-sterilization (These contents are in Japanese) https://apnews.com/article/japan-lgbtq-transgender-ruling-gender-change-decdbdca9c8dd3658ae86b63ec40c53d (The English version) |
Reports (2)
- Newer law has been passed "The sterilization requirement was ruled unconsitutional in Oct 2023"
- Newer law has been passed "new law will probably pass : https://www.hrw.org/news/2023/10/25/victory-transgender-rights-japan"
Revision History (3)
Revision by Belmount. Adding source
| Old Value | New Value (Current) | |
|---|---|---|
| Sources | https://elaws.e-gov.go.jp/document?lawid=415AC0100000111 https://www.courts.go.jp/saiban/syurui/syurui_kazi/kazi_06_23/index.html https://www.moj.go.jp/content/001300586.pdf https://www.hrw.org/news/2023/10/16/japan-court-rules-against-mandatory-transgender-sterilization (These contents are in Japanese) | https://elaws.e-gov.go.jp/document?lawid=415AC0100000111 https://www.courts.go.jp/saiban/syurui/syurui_kazi/kazi_06_23/index.html https://www.moj.go.jp/content/001300586.pdf https://www.hrw.org/news/2023/10/16/japan-court-rules-against-mandatory-transgender-sterilization (These contents are in Japanese) https://apnews.com/article/japan-lgbtq-transgender-ruling-gender-change-decdbdca9c8dd3658ae86b63ec40c53d (The English version) |
Show Difference | ||
Revision by Iwamoto. Revise the date and add 'Ameded' to show the current law was amended.
| Old Value | New Value | |
|---|---|---|
| Start Date | Jul 16, 2004 | Apr 1, 2022 |
| Description | Act No.111 of 2003 requires for transgender people to change their legal gender, (1) be at least 18 years of age, (2) not currently married, (3) no child less than 18 years, (4) infertile (no gonads or persistent lack of gonadal function), (5) and has a body which appears to have genital parts of those of the opposite sex. And also requires medical certificate by two or more psychiatrist. On October 16th 2023, a Japanese transgender man won his case in court to allow him to change his legal gender without sterilization. The law was deemed unconstitutional. It remains to be seen what changes will be made to the law and when they will come in effect. | Amended Act No.111 of 2003 requires for transgender people to change their legal gender, (1) be at least 18 years of age, (2) not currently married, (3) no child less than 18 years, (4) infertile (no gonads or persistent lack of gonadal function), (5) and has a body which appears to have genital parts of those of the opposite sex. And also requires medical certificate by two or more psychiatrist. On October 16th 2023, a Japanese transgender man won his case in court to allow him to change his legal gender without sterilization. The law was deemed unconstitutional. It remains to be seen what changes will be made to the law and when they will come in effect. |
Show Difference | ||
Reports (3)
- Newer law has been passed "https://amp.theguardian.com/world/2023/oct/25/japan-court-rules-mandatory-sterilisation-transgender-unconstitutional
Surgery no longer required"
- Other "New laws on 25 october 2023, Legal and surgery not required"
- Newer law has been passed "https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2023/10/25/japan/crime-legal/transgender-supreme-court-ruling/"
Revision by Notdog1996. The three entries are the same. Please remove the other two and keep this one. I changed the start date to reflect the first entry. I also added an update.
| Old Value (Original) | New Value | |
|---|---|---|
| Start Date | Apr 1, 2022 | Jul 16, 2004 |
| Description | Act No.111 of 2003 requires for transgender people to change their legal gender, (1) be at least 18 years of age, (2) not currently married, (3) no child less than 18 years, (4) infertile (no gonads or persistent lack of gonadal function), (5) and has a body which appears to have genital parts of those of the opposite sex. And also requires medical certificate by two or more psychiatrist. | Act No.111 of 2003 requires for transgender people to change their legal gender, (1) be at least 18 years of age, (2) not currently married, (3) no child less than 18 years, (4) infertile (no gonads or persistent lack of gonadal function), (5) and has a body which appears to have genital parts of those of the opposite sex. And also requires medical certificate by two or more psychiatrist. On October 16th 2023, a Japanese transgender man won his case in court to allow him to change his legal gender without sterilization. The law was deemed unconstitutional. It remains to be seen what changes will be made to the law and when they will come in effect. |
Show Difference | ||
| Sources | https://elaws.e-gov.go.jp/document?lawid=415AC0100000111 https://www.courts.go.jp/saiban/syurui/syurui_kazi/kazi_06_23/index.html https://www.moj.go.jp/content/001300586.pdf (These contents are in Japanese) | https://elaws.e-gov.go.jp/document?lawid=415AC0100000111 https://www.courts.go.jp/saiban/syurui/syurui_kazi/kazi_06_23/index.html https://www.moj.go.jp/content/001300586.pdf https://www.hrw.org/news/2023/10/16/japan-court-rules-against-mandatory-transgender-sterilization (These contents are in Japanese) |
Show Difference | ||
Reports (4)
- Date is incorrect "16 July 2004 is the date of entry into force of the original Law No 111, not the date of entry into force of the latest amended Law No 111."
- Newer law has been passed "new law will probably pass, should now be set as ambiguous : https://www.thepinknews.com/2023/10/16/japan-surgery-gender-change-unconstitutional/?utm_content=1697430560&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter"
- Other "In 2023 there is an action that is possible without surgery https://unseen-japan.com/transgender-sterilization-surgery-japan-unconstitutional/"
- All information is correct, just adding sources "https://www.voanews.com/amp/court-japan-can-t-require-surgery-for-gender-change-on-documents-/7309083.html
Could be changed soon"