Japan's same-sex couples appeal to court against legal recognition law

Three same-sex couples appealed to the Osaka High Court on June 30 against a lower court ruling that the provisions of Japan's civil law and family registration law that do not recognize same-sex marriage are constitutional.

One of the plaintiffs, Machi Sakata, 43, a resident of the city of Kyoto, said that Our dignity is being violated on a daily basis. I hope the court will be the last agency to protect our human rights. The June 20 Osaka District Court ruling noted that Article 24 of the Constitution, which specifies freedom of marriage, only applies to heterosexual marriages. The plaintiffs' claims were dismissed by the district court and the supreme law's Article 14, which stipulates equality under the law, was not violated.

Concerning similar lawsuits, the Sapporo District Court ruled for the first time in March 2021 that the Japanese government's current system of notallowing same-sex marriage is unconstitutional. The issue remains divided, according to the Osaka District Court's ruling.