Society

Woman sues Hokkaido government for not giving benefits to same-sex couples

Jun 09 (Japan Times) - SAPPORO – A woman in a same-sex relationship filed a damages suit on Wednesday against her former employer the Hokkaido government and a mutual aid association seeking ¥4.8 million ($43,000) for being denied spousal benefits.

Kaoru Sasaki, 51, filed the lawsuit with the Sapporo District Court, arguing that not paying family benefits to same-sex couples violates the guarantee of equality under the Constitution.

According to the suit, Sasaki applied for spousal benefits in July 2018 and April 2019, while still a prefectural employee, submitting a document recognizing her partnership issued by the Sapporo city government.

But the Hokkaido government and the aid association for prefectural employees rejected the application, saying the benefits were only available to heterosexual couples.

Do Bears Prefer Acorns or Berries?

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Copper Thieves Target Japanese Shrines

Copper roofing panels were stolen from several shrines in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture, including a city-designated cultural property, in the latest case amid a nationwide surge in copper thefts targeting shrines and temples across Japan, where soaring metal prices have fueled crimes that leave historic religious buildings damaged, exposed to the elements, and facing repair costs of millions of yen.

1200-Year-Old Temple on Miyajima Reduced to Ashes

Flames broke out on the morning of May 20th on Miyajima Island in Hiroshima Prefecture, home to one of Japan's World Heritage sites, destroying Reikado Hall near the summit of Mount Misen.

From Bento Boxes to Garbage Bags, Rising Costs Hitting Daily Life Across Japan

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Tochigi Robbery-Murder Suspect’s Wife Posted Dance Videos on Social Media

A 25-year-old woman arrested as a suspected ringleader in a robbery-murder case in Tochigi Prefecture once posted cheerful dance videos on social media and was remembered by those who knew her as an energetic and outgoing young woman.

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