Anal sodomy was decriminalized in 1881 when the provision was dropped from Japan's Penal Code. It was eliminated by supervision of Gustave Boissonade, a French legal scholar who served as an advisor to develop the legal system in Japan.

Article 24 of Japan’s constitution states that “Marriage shall be based only on the mutual consent of both sexes” which is interpreted to define marriage as between two people of the opposite sex.

Beginning in March of 2021, district courts and high courts across Japan have ruled that Japan restricting marriage to opposite-sex couples is unconstitutional. However, these court rulings do not have any actual effect on the law.

More than 200 municipalities across Japan have introduced partnership systems which give same-sex couples the ability to register their relationships. However, the registration is not legally binding and it does not grant any of the rights of marriage.

In Japan, there are no laws restricting to discussion or promotion of LGBTQ+ topics.

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.

The Japanese Society of Psychiatry and Neurology (JSPN) allows Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) for those aged 15 and over with parental consent. The law considered to have potentially banned it was the Eugenics Protection Law but in 1998 it was ruled that when done in accordance of JSPN regulations it was not in violation of the law.

Non-binary gender is not legally recognized in Japan.

However, the city of Yokosuka recognizes the relationships of people of all genders, including "x-gender", the common term for non-binary in Japan.

Housing discrimination is illegal in Japan. Japan does not have national employment anti-discrimination laws, although Tokyo, Ibaraki and Akita offer local protections.

While the Equal Employment Opportunity Law has been revised several times over the years to address sex discrimination and harassment in the workplace, the government has refused to expand the law to address discrimination against gender or sexual identity. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has passed legislation banning discrimination in employment based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

Companies in Japan consisting of ten or more employees are required to establish work regulations. In January 2018, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare revised the Model Rules of Employment which "stands as the example framework for work regulations", to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and "gender identification". Article 15 reads:

In addition to what are provided for from Article 12 to the preceding paragraph, employees are prohibited from any other forms of harassment at the workplace that are damaging to the work environment of other employees such as by way of speech or behaviour related to sexual orientation or gender identification.

Since autumn 2003, the Urban Renaissance Agency, the government agency that operates government housing has allowed same-sex couples to rent units the same way as heterosexual couples at any one of the over 300 properties that it operates. This opened the way for more such action, as the Osaka Government in September 2005 opened the doors of its government housing to same-sex couples.

In February 2018, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare created provisions addressing discrimination in housing, stating that "consideration must be taken to not deny lodging on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity."

The US State Department states: "there are no laws regulating or addressing same-sex couples adopting in Japan."
It was reported in 2016 that many same-sex couples have been rejected by public authorities and are told “Children will never be fostered” by same-sex couples and “couples of friends are not accepted.”
There is however one documented case from 2016 of same-sex foster parents in Osaka.

Surgery on intersex infants is legal in Japan.

Japan has a Self Defense Force in place of a traditional military. There is no 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.

Red Cross Japan reduces deferral for high HIV risk individual from 12 months to 6 months.

There are no laws banning conversion therapy in Japan.

The national age of consent is equal for both same-sex couples and opposite-sex couples. Cities and prefectures may set higher ages of consent.