Tokyo Recognizes First Same-Sex Marriage In Japan
Hiroko Masuhara and Koyuki Higashi became the first same-sex couple to have their marriage officially recognized in Japan, when the couple tied the knot at the Shibuya ward office in Tokyo on Thursday.
"I am exhilarated that the city I am living has recognized my partner as my family," said Masuhara, 37.
Added, Higashi, 30, "I'm so happy—when they gave us the certificate, I cried. Our friends cried."
In March, lawmakers in Shibuya voted to grant marriage certificates to same-sex couples, the first ward in the country to do so. Another of Tokyo's 23 wards, Setagaya, voted to do the same a few months later.
It's a moral victory, to be sure, but the certificates have sever limitations: Firstly, they only grant equal rights and access in the two wards.
And they're not legally binding—individuals and companies can ignore them with no repercussions.
"I hope that this will be a step forward, not only for Tokyo but for the whole of Japan, to become a more comfortable place to live in," said Higashi. "Because there are LGBT people nationwide.
h/t: Huffington Post