Japan will now treat same-sex couples as being in de facto marriages under nine more laws, including the disaster condolence grant law. It follows a 2024 Supreme Court ruling that recognised same-sex couples as “in circumstances similar to effective marriage” in a crime victim benefits case. Back in January, partners were recognised under 24 laws — but the Japanese government still excludes them from more than 120 others, including those covering taxes and social security. At the time of the ruling, Amnesty International’s East Asia researcher Boram Jang said: “There need to be concrete, legal measures in place to protect same-sex couples and the LGBTI community in Japan from all forms of discrimination.” #lgbtqia #marriage #Japan #MarriageEquality #law #equality