reader Posted November 1, 2022 Posted November 1, 2022 From Channel News Asia TOKYO: Tokyo began issuing partnership certificates to same-sex couples who live and work in the capital on Tuesday (Nov 1), a long-awaited move in a country without marriage equality. The certificates allow LGBTQ partners to be treated as married couples for some public services in areas such as housing, medicine and welfare. More than 200 smaller local authorities in Japan have already made moves to recognise same-sex partnerships since Tokyo's Shibuya district pioneered the system in 2015. The status does not carry the same rights as marriage under the law but represents a welcome change for couples like Miki and Katie, who have long had no official proof of their relationship. "My biggest fear has been that we would be treated as strangers in an emergency," Miki told AFP at home in Tokyo, where photos of the Japanese 36-year-old with her American girlfriend Katie, 31, adorn the fridge. As of Friday morning, 137 couples had applied for a certificate, Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike said last week. Hopes are high that the introduction of the same-sex partnership certificates, which cover both Tokyo residents and commuters, will help fight anti-LGBTQ discrimination in Japan. "The more people make use of these partnership systems, the more our community will feel encouraged to tell family and friends about their relationships," without "hiding their true selves", Miki said. Contunies at https://www.channelnewsasia.com/asia/tokyo-same-sex-relationships-approve-3035656 joizy 1 Quote
