- Homosexuality
- ⚢✔ Legal
- Gay Marriage
- ⚭✖ Unrecognized
- Censorship
- ✔ No censorship
- Changing Gender
- ✔ Legal, but requires surgery
- Non-binary gender recognition
- Unknown
- Discrimination
- ✖ No protections
- Employment Discrimination
- ✖ No protections
- Housing Discrimination
- ✖ No protections
- Adoption
- Ambiguous
- Military
- ✔ Legal
- Donating Blood
- ✖ Banned (6-month deferral)
- Conversion Therapy
- ✖ Not banned
- Age of Consent
- ✔ Equal
Suggest Public Opinion Data
Public Opinion
Views on same-sex marriage or other legal recognition
Ranked #13 out of 27 countries surveyed. (Source: Ipsos, April–May, 2021)
(6%) Against
Support (69%)
Views on same-sex couples' right to adopt
Ranked #10 out of 27 countries surveyed. (Source: Ipsos, April–May, 2021)
(20%) Disagree
Agree (68%)
Acceptance of homosexuals as neighbors
Ranked #29 out of 79 countries surveyed. (Source: World Values Survey, 2017-2020)
Question: "On this list are various groups of people. Could you please mention any that you would not like to have as neighbors?"
(26.4%) Mentioned homosexuals
Did not mention homosexuals (70.8%)
Justifiability of homosexuality
Ranked #16 out of 79 countries surveyed. (Source: World Values Survey, 2017-2020)
Question: "Please tell me for each of the following statements whether you think it can always be justified, never be justified, or something in between."
(15.1%) Not justifiable
Justifiable (49.7%)
Opinion on same-sex couples as parents
Ranked #16 out of 74 countries surveyed. (Source: World Values Survey, 2017-2020)
Question: "Homosexual couples are as good parents as other couples"
(10%) Disagree
Agree (43.8%)
"Should society accept homosexuality?" (2019)
Ranked #13 out of 34 countries surveyed. (Source: Pew Research Center, May–October, 2019)
Question: "Should society accept homosexuality?"
(22%) No
Yes (68%)
"Should society accept homosexuality?" (2013)
Ranked #15 out of 39 countries surveyed. (Source: Pew Research Center, June, 2013)
Question: "Should society accept homosexuality?"
(36%) No
Yes (54%)
Perceived Acceptance of Gay People
Ranked #44 out of 119 countries surveyed. (Source: Gallup, 2013)
Question: "Is the city or area where you live a good place or not a good place for homosexuals?"
(39%) Not a good place
Good place (28%)
By The Numbers
78.4%
of Japanese, ages 20-59, support legalization of same-sex marriage
(Dentsu, 2019)
8.9%
of Japanese people, age 20 to 59, identify as LGBT
(Dentsu, 2018)
42.3%
of Japanese adults support or somewhat supported same-sex marriage
(Nihon Yoro Chosa-kai, 2015)
7.7%
of Japanese people between 20 and 59 identify as LGBT
(Dentsu (online survey), 2015)
History
Homosexual activity in Japan is legal.
Same-sex marriage in Japan is unrecognized.
Current status
Since May 3, 1947
Since May 3, 1947
Unrecognized
Article 24 of the Japanese Constitution states that "marriage shall be based only on the mutual consent of both sexes and it shall be maintained through mutual cooperation with the equal rights of husband and wife as a basis".
Censorship of LGBT Issues in Japan is no censorship.
Current status
No censorship
In Japan, there are no laws restricting to discussion or promotion of LGBTQ+ topics.
Right to change legal gender in Japan is legal, but requires surgery.
Current status
Since Jan 2004
Since Jan 2004
Legal, but requires surgery
Law 111 gave unmarried transgender citizens over the age of 22 with no children under the age of 20 the option to legally change their gender, only after undergoing sex-reassignment surgery.
Legal recognition of non-binary gender in Japan is unknown.
Current status
Unknown
LGBT discrimination in Japan is no protections.
Current status
Since May 3, 1947
Since May 3, 1947
Illegal
Full discrimination protections. Missing Housing Discrimination protections.
Current status
Since May 3, 1947
Since May 3, 1947
No protections
Japan does not have LGBT protections from discrimination in employment, housing, etc. The Japanese Constitution promises equal rights to all and this is widely interpretted as extending to LGBT citizens.
LGBT housing discrimination in Japan is no protections.
Current status
No protections
In a 2008 report by the UN Human Rights Committee, they expressed concern about discrimination against LGBT people in several areas, including housing. According to Article 23(1) of Japan’s Public Housing Law, it only applies to married and unmarried different-sex couples. However, in October of 2012, the Japanese government stated that Article 23(1) was abolished and, therefore, same-sex partners were no longer excluded.
However, the Human Rights Committee report states that in reality, "municipalities decide who can rent public houses under the amended Public Housing Law and few municipal policies allow same-sex couples to qualify. Thus, in practice same-sex couples remain excluded from public housing."
However, the Human Rights Committee report states that in reality, "municipalities decide who can rent public houses under the amended Public Housing Law and few municipal policies allow same-sex couples to qualify. Thus, in practice same-sex couples remain excluded from public housing."
Same-sex adoption in Japan is ambiguous.
Current status
Ambiguous
The United States State Department states: "there are no laws regulating or addressing same-sex couples adopting in Japan, but there have been no known cases of this happening."
Serving openly in military in Japan is legal.
Current status
Since May 3, 1947
Since May 3, 1947
Legal
The Japanese do not have a specific policy either banning or encouraging LGBT participation in the Self Defense Forces. Research by Sabine Fruhstuck has shown that many Japanese do not object to open LGBT service in the military provided it does not interfere with their performance.
Blood donations by MSMs in Japan is banned (6-month deferral).
Current status
Since Apr 1, 2011
Since Apr 1, 2011
Banned (6-month deferral)
Red Cross Japan reduces deferral for high HIV risk individual from 12 months to 6 months.
Conversion therapy in Japan is not banned.
Current status
Not banned
There are no laws banning conversion therapy in Japan.
Equal age of consent in Japan is equal.
Current status
Since May 3, 1947
Since May 3, 1947
Equal
The national age of consent is 13 for both same-sex couples and opposite-sex couples. Cities and prefectures may set higher ages of consent.
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Common queries:
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Alternative names: Nihon/Nippon (local name)