On 19 September, the Sapporo Family Court found that the requirement to have “genitalia matching the target sex” as a requirement to legally change sex in Japan is unconstitutional and therefore invalid, according to an exclusive published in the Asahi Shinbun on 23 September. ([1]) According to Asahi, the case Continue Reading
Japan
Japanese NPO ReBit Releases LGBTQ Youth Survey
ReBit, a Japanese NPO focusing on LGBTQ youth and community outreach, released its 2025 survey on the state of young trans people (12-34 year olds) in Japan in a press release on 2 June, followed by a presentation on the survey that WTT attended on 12 June [1]. The survey Continue Reading
Japan Legislative Outlook for June 2025
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
Osaka High Court Overturns Lower Court Ruling, Finds Lack of Marriage Equality Unconstitutional [Updated]
![Osaka High Court Overturns Lower Court Ruling, Finds Lack of Marriage Equality Unconstitutional [Updated]](https://whatthetrans.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Osaka-High-Court.png)
(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