Japan Supreme Court hears argument on surgery requirement for gender change

Sep 28, 2023 | News On Japan

TOKYO - A lawyer for a transgender individual has told Japan's Supreme Court that the requirement of surgery to remove reproductive functions for gender registry changes is unconstitutional.

Under Japanese law, gender on a family register can be changed if certain conditions are met, such as that the individual does not have reproductive functions.

A person registered as a male but living as a woman asked a family court to allow gender change without such surgery. The individual claimed enforcing it violates the Constitution.

Both the family court and a higher court dismissed the case.

On Wednesday, the Grand Bench of the Supreme Court, consisting of all 15 justices, heard from the lawyer on behalf of the plaintiff, who did not attend the hearing.

The lawyer explained that the plaintiff's reproductive capability has been diminished by years of hormone therapy, so there is no need for surgery to live as a woman.

The lawyer added that surgery entails physical suffering and risk of after-effects, as well as financial burdens. ...continue reading

Source: ANNnewsCH

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