Society

Japanese court rules non-recognition of same-sex marriage is unconstitutional

NAGOYA, May 31 (NHK) - A district court in central Japan has ruled that the government's failure to recognize same-sex marriage violates the country's constitution.

A male couple in their 30s in Aichi Prefecture sought damages from the state. The couple claimed that the state's refusal to recognize same-sex marriage was against the constitution, which guarantees freedom of marriage and equality under the law. The state cited as a reason for its position a civil law rule that does not recognize same-sex marriage.

The government argued during the trial that the constitution does not mention marriages between same-sex partners.

同性どうしの結婚が認められていないのは憲法に違反すると愛知県に住む男性どうしのカップルが国を訴えた裁判で、名古屋地方裁判所は法の下の平等などを定めた憲法に違反するという判断を示しました。https://t.co/QheesSianP #nhk_video pic.twitter.com/IMSOXHAtx7
— NHKニュース (@nhk_news) May 30, 2023

At the Nagoya District Court on Tuesday, presiding judge Nishimura Osamu ruled that the government's failure to recognize same-sex marriages violates the constitution's Article 14, which says all people are equal under the law. He also cited as a reason for the ruling the second provision of Article 24, which calls for laws to be enacted from the standpoint of individual dignity and the essential equality of the sexes.

But the judge dismissed the plaintiffs' demand for damages. ...continue reading

Do Bears Prefer Acorns or Berries?

Bear sightings across Japan have already climbed to nearly twice the level recorded during the same period last year, prompting entry bans in mountain areas behind Kyoto’s Ninna-ji Temple and the cancellation of hiking events in Kansai, while new research suggests that the key to reducing encounters may lie in understanding what bears eat in each region.

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

Uncertainty surrounding the situation in the Middle East is beginning to affect daily life in Japan, as concerns over crude oil supplies spread to restaurants, cleaning services and even household garbage disposal systems across the Kansai region.

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.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Society NEWS

Garbage Burnoff Spreads to 3 Buildings in Okayama

A fire that broke out in Kagamino, Okayama Prefecture, shortly after noon on May 20th destroyed three buildings, including a home, after flames from open burning spread to dead leaves and then to nearby structures.

Gang Members Arrested After Opening Office Near Nursery

Six people, including a senior member of a group affiliated with the Sumiyoshi-kai crime syndicate's Kohei-ikka faction, have been arrested on suspicion of opening a gang office in a prohibited area near a nursery school in Tokyo's Itabashi Ward.

Six Police Officers Injured After Man Sprays Liquid at Station

A man who visited a police station in Hiratsuka, Kanagawa Prefecture, in the early hours of May 21st allegedly sprayed a transparent liquid inside the building, causing six police officers to complain of eye and throat pain and be taken to hospital with minor injuries.