Upper House Elections and Unfinished Business Following the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) loss of an outright majority in the Lower House in October 2024’s election and parliament set to end its current legislative term on June 22, the Upper House now stands to be dissolved as it completes its elected Continue Reading
Viridian Lakes
US Health Organizations Respond to HHS Report on Trans Youth Treatment
On 1 May 2025, the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released their report on trans youth treatment, as mandated by US President Donald Trump’s 28 January 2025 Executive Order “Protecting Children from Chemical and Surgical Mutilation” (link goes to archive.org mirror from the same day). The report Continue Reading
US Passport Policy Places People in Precarious Positions
Policy Placed on Hold for Plaintiffs As reported by Erin Reed and Assigned Media, on 18 April, Judge Julia Kobick at the Federal District Court for Massacheusets ruled that six of the seven plaintiffs have been granted the ability to receive passports with gender markers that align with their gender Continue Reading
Osaka High Court Overturns Lower Court Ruling, Finds Lack of Marriage Equality Unconstitutional [Updated]
(Photo: Osaka High Court, by Topgun1997 via Wikimedia Commons) On 25 March, the Osaka High Court found that the country’s lack of marriage equality was unconstitutional. This makes the fifth high court finding Japanese law to be out of step with the country’s constitution in regards to marriage equality. Significantly, Continue Reading
Trans Woman’s Petition to Change Legal Sex Without Divorce Rejected by Kyoto Court
(Photo by Mikhail Pavstyuk at Unsplash) On 19 March, the Kyoto Family Court rejected a petition brought by a married trans woman to change legal sex. The petition stemmed from the fact that Japan’s legal transition law requires a person to be unmarried. The petitioner has already expressed her intention Continue Reading
