ID :
373788
Wed, 07/08/2015 - 04:24
Auther :

LGBT People Ask for Lawyers' Support for Same-Sex Marriage in Japan

Tokyo, July 7 (Jiji Press)--A total of 455 lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people petitioned the Japan Federation of Bar Associations on Tuesday to urge the government and lawmakers to legalize same-sex marriage. The LGBT people, including two living abroad and 142 same-sex couples, argue that it is unconstitutional and an abuse of human rights that same-sex marriages are not legally recognized in Japan. A recommendation by the nationwide bar federation to legalize same-sex marriage would be an "important step," said Toshimasa Yamashita, who leads a group of lawyers supporting them. The bar federation's view on same-sex marriage will influence discussions on the issue in the country, including debates in court, Yamashita said. In Japan, no lawsuit has yet been filed for legal status for same-sex marriage, according to the group led by Yamashita. But such a lawsuit may be brought following the latest move by the LGBT people, he said. Among them was female television personality Asako Makimura, 28, who married a French woman in France in 2013. "We want a system to allow any couples to get married, regardless of their sex," she said at a press conference on Tuesday. END

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