Japan Nears Marriage Equality: A Look at Progress on Laws Recognizing LGBTQ+ Couples
On June 15, 2022, the Tokyo metropolitan government in Japan passed a measure recognizing partnership status for same-sex couples, extending certain rights…
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On June 15, 2022, the Tokyo metropolitan government in Japan passed a measure recognizing partnership status for "same-sex couples," or same-sex partnerships. It extends certain rights to LGBTQ+ couples so they can enjoy some of the same rights as married heterosexual couples, and it helps same-sex couples in Japan, a highly conservative society, live together openly in public without facing discrimination in the workplace. Although it is not legal marriage, it marks an important milestone in the ongoing push for the right and freedom to marry equally under the law.
Even as some rights are extended, others may still fall outside the law
While partnership recognition extends some rights more broadly across society, such as the right to visit a partner or make decisions on their behalf if the other is admitted to a hospital, and the right to jointly own real estate, just as heterosexual couples do, significant differences remain. Because it is still not marriage equality, some rights are not covered by law, such as unequal taxation of individuals, inheritance, and many other limitations. The true aim of the marriage equality that LGBTQ+ groups have proposed is to demand equality in the legal rights and duties that apply to every person equally.
A Japanese court ruled that the ban on same-sex marriage is constitutional, but it raised concerns about the dignity and human rights of same-sex couples. The ruling disappointed activists, yet it is still regarded as another step forward for marriage equality law in Japan.
Japanese municipalities allow same-sex couples to enter partnership agreements
More than 300 municipalities across Japan, covering roughly 65% of the population, allow same-sex couples to enter into partnership agreements, but their rights are limited. Partners cannot inherit each other's property or hold parental rights over each other's children, and hospital access is not guaranteed, as noted above.
The Kishida government promised to pass legislation promoting understanding of LGBTQ people before the G7 summit, but opposition from conservative parties delayed the effort.
The initial draft stated that discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity should not be tolerated, but this was changed to say that there should be no unfair discrimination. Opinion polls indicate that about 70% of the public support same-sex marriage, but the conservative party of Prime Minister Fumio Kishida opposes it.
The path toward marriage equality laws for same-sex couples in Asia has unfolded as follows
- Taiwan: On May 24, 2019, the legislature approved a bill on marriage between same-sex couples by a vote of 66 to 27, with most of the support coming from President Tsai Ing-wen's Democratic Progressive Party. This made Taiwan the only, and the first, place in Asia to recognize marriage equality.
- Japan: In 2015, a partnership system was first introduced in Tokyo's Shibuya ward, the first locality to recognize the right to register partnerships within its own jurisdiction. However, this recognition carried no other binding legal effect, so in 2019 activists and same-sex couples filed lawsuits seeking the right to marriage equality under the law. A survey the previous year found that 65% of respondents supported marriage equality for same-sex couples, up 24 percentage points from a 2015 survey, reflecting shifting public attitudes. Then, in June 2022, Japan recognized the status of same-sex couples as "life partners." Couples applying for a certificate must be at least 18 years old, and at least one of them must live, commute to work, or study in Tokyo; the status can be requested through an online system. Although this recognition is not marriage under the law, it is a significant step toward bringing marriage equality to Japan.
- Thailand: Calls for marriage equality began in 2012, and in 2013 the first civil partnership bill was drafted under the government of Yingluck Shinawatra. Now, a full nine years later, the bill has continued to be revised in an effort to win the government's support for marriage equality.
Thailand's House of Representatives has adopted the principles of bills related to promoting gender equality
Most recently, on June 15, Thailand's House of Representatives adopted the principles of two bills related to promoting gender equality: the Civil Partnership Bill and the Marriage Equality Bill. The two bills differ in principle. Under the Civil Partnership Bill, eligible individuals would have the right to register and obtain the legal status of "life partners," but would not receive certain legal benefits compared with marriage. The Marriage Equality Bill, on the other hand, would grant the legal status of "spouses" and provide the same rights as heterosexual married couples in every respect. It remains to be seen how the journey of the law toward equal marriage will turn out.
Finally, although society is increasingly open to the idea of gender diversity, only 33 countries and territories worldwide currently have laws that concretely recognize marriage equality. It is hoped that this will expand further, both in Thailand and in other countries or territories, because the right to marry under the law is a right to which everyone should be equally entitled.
Verified references
Links and relevance to the article’s main topic were reviewed on 13 August 2026. Each source supports only the scope stated in the original document and does not replace personalised medical, legal, or service advice.
- Amnesty International: Japan same-sex marriage ruling Accessed 13 August 2026
- ราชกิจจานุเบกษา: พ.ร.บ.แก้ไขเพิ่มเติมประมวลกฎหมายแพ่งและพาณิชย์ (สมรสเท่าเทียม) Accessed 13 August 2026
- OHCHR: LGBT rights fact sheet Accessed 13 August 2026
