Sapporo Court Rules Against Surgical Requirement For Gender Change

Sep 25, 2025 | News On Japan

SAPPORO - A transgender man living in Sapporo has won a landmark case after the Sapporo Family Court ruled that the legal requirement demanding surgical or hormonal changes to alter the appearance of one’s genitals in order to change gender on the family register is unconstitutional.

Japan’s Special Act on Gender Identity Disorder outlines five conditions for changing one’s legal gender. In 2023, the Supreme Court struck down one of these conditions requiring individuals to lack reproductive capability, declaring it unconstitutional.

In the latest case, the Sapporo Family Court ruled that the so-called “appearance requirement,” which demands genital surgery or hormone treatment to alter external appearance, lacks a rational connection to contemporary medical practices for gender identity disorder, and is therefore unconstitutional.

The petitioner was unable to undergo surgery or hormone therapy due to concerns over allergies and side effects.

This marks the first time a court has declared the “appearance requirement” unconstitutional nationwide. The ruling was issued on September 24th.

Source: HBCニュース　北海道放送

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