Majority of voters in favor of legalizing gay marriages in Japan

72% of voters believe Japan should legalize same-sex marriages according to a poll by Japan’s Asahi Shimbun newspaper conducted on February 18-19, 2023.

In recent years, support for the legal recognition of same-sex marriages has increased. In March 2021, 65% were in favor The proportion in favor was 65 percent in a poll in March 2021 and 41% in February 2015.

Despite the trend, conservative members of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (PDL) continue to impede the Diet’s deliberations on the issue. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida (PDL) also expressed caution, recently mentioning that the legalization of same-sex marriages is an issue that will “change society.”

However, 67% of LDP supporters support legalizing same-sex marriages, according to the national telephone poll.

More than half of all respondents (51%) said legislation should be introduced to ban discrimination against sexual minorities , while 39% oppose the idea.

Among respondents who support legal same-sex marriages, 36% said an anti-discrimination law is not necessary. 47% of PLD supporters supported the law.

The poll results did not show a large difference between LDP supporters and other voters on measures of support for the LGBT community.

Lawmakers from all parties are working to enact a law promoting an “understanding” of sexual minorities following discriminatory comments about LGBT people by Masayoshi Arai, a former Kishida aide, who in off-the-record remarks to reporters he said he “wouldn’t want to live next to sexual minorities, or even look at them” He was later fired as Kishida’s executive secretary in charge of media relations.

Many sexual minorities have called for legislation prohibiting discrimination against them rather than a law promoting understanding of them .

That is why the poll asked voters if they supported such anti-discrimination legislation.

On the other hand, a survey was recently conducted where 100 major Japanese companies were asked about the measures they have taken to protect the rights of sexual minorities and found that more than 80% have introduced or plan to introduce written company policies that prohibit discrimination.

It was also found in this survey that the most common action taken, taken or to be taken out of 84 companies surveyed, was the introduction of written company rules that prohibited discrimination against sexual minorities, with many mentioning that the government itself does not provide enough support companies in this area, for example, through the development of relevant legislation.