Photo/Illutration The secretary-general of the Japan Alliance for LGBT Legislation, Yuichi Kamiya, far right, and director of Marriage For All Japan, Gon Matsunaka, far left, announced their survey results at the welfare ministry in Tokyo’s Chiyoda Ward on Sept. 19. (Yuki Nikaido)

All four presidential candidates of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan support legalizing same-sex marriage, a survey found, while only one of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party candidates is in favor, with most declining to answer.

The Japan Alliance for LGBT Legislation and Marriage For All Japan citizen groups jointly conducted a survey of presidential candidates of the LDP and CDP about policies regarding sexual minorities.

They announced the survey results on Sept. 19 ahead of the CDP's presidential election on Sept. 23 and the LDP's on Sept. 27.

Among the nine LDP presidential candidates, only Taro Kono and Shigeru Ishiba responded to the survey.

Asked whether the candidate “agrees with legalizing same-sex marriage,” Kono answered “yes,” while Ishiba chose “others” and added, “Further understanding among Japanese people is needed, but I’ll take judicial decisions regarding the same-sex marriage into consideration as well, since the Constitution regulates marriages.”

Yoshimasa Hayashi’s camp said, “still considering the response.”

Shinjiro Koizumi faxed a message to the organizations, saying, “we will refrain from answering, due to a notification from the party.”

The Party Presidential Election Administration Committee of the LDP issued a notification on Sept. 4 for the LDP lawmakers to refrain from answering surveys conducted by organizations and the media.

Gon Matsunaka, director of Marriage For All Japan, said of the seven LDP candidates who declined to answer, “They expressed that they either lack a strong opinion on LGBT issues or prefer to avoid discussing them.”

Matsunaka also said that Kono’s agreement offered hope.

Matsunaka told reporters that Ishiba said during a radio program on Sept. 11, “If these people have been suffering disadvantages because same-sex marriages are not allowed, we should find ways to help them,” and Matsunaka added, “This remark may reflect the Ishiba camp’s opinion.”

Koizumi had said, “I am in favor of same-sex marriage” in a Diet session in March 2021 when he was environment minister.

“It is sad that we didn’t get answers from Koizumi. I hope he would become a driving force (for marriage equality) if he became the LDP president,” Matsunaka said. 

All four CDP presidential candidates, Yukio Edano, Yoshihiko Noda, Kenta Izumi and Harumi Yoshida, said they were in favor of legalizing same-sex marriage.

Matsunaka hopes the new party presidents will champion the human rights of sexual minorities in Japan.

“Lawsuits have been filed across the nation, but the legislature makes the laws," he said. "I hope they will preserve our human rights.”

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