Photo/Illutration Sign language teacher Monkey Takano, right, and sign language interpreter Yumiko Takashima were the first couple to register under the partnership system enacted by Tokyo's Setagaya Ward 10 years ago. This photo was taken in Tokyo in October. (Isamu Nikaido)

Despite the capital's Shibuya and Setagaya wards marking 10 years of recognizing LGBT partnerships on Nov. 5 and similar systems spreading across the country, initiatives for legalizing gay marriage and public understanding of sexual minorities have made little headway.

“We were glad to be recognized as a family,” said the first same-sex couple who registered under Setagaya Ward’s partnership system a decade ago.

Monkey Takano, now 54, is a deaf sign language teacher who is a transgender man registered as female on the family registry. His partner, 55-year-old Yumiko Takashima, is pansexual and a sign language interpreter.

The couple have lived together for 27 years and underwent a significant mental change after being able to register their union.

“We used to be afraid to say we were family. But now we can say it without hesitation. The system has been a tremendous support for us,” they said.

Even so, the couple still feels there is insufficient social understanding despite the system's widespread adoption across municipalities and prefectural governments nationwide.

During a visit to a high school where they gave a speech, the pair set up a room where students could meet individually with them. Many did.

“We think that they were struggling but had no one to talk to,” the couple said, adding, “Even if same-sex marriage becomes legal, if society doesn’t accept them, we won’t be happy.”

The couple hopes to create a society where no young person has to struggle alone.

MORE BENEFITS

The reach of partnership systems has grown significantly since they were first established in 2015 and now cover more than 90 percent of Japan's population with 9,837 registered couples.

A joint survey conducted by Nijiiro Diversity, an NPO supporting LGBT individuals, and Shibuya Ward showed that 532 local governments nationwide had adopted such systems by the end of May. On the prefectural level, Ibaraki was the first to establish the system in 2019.

These systems enable access to an increasing number of benefits, including workplace-related ones, as well as recognition as family during hospital visits or when renting or purchasing real estate.

Their scope is also expanding with initiatives such as Setagaya Ward’s “familyship” system including treating children as family.

'A TRANSITIONAL MEASURE'

On the other hand, restrictions remain. The systems do not constitute a legal marriage, meaning couples cannot receive social security benefits such as the survivor's pension and tax advantages.

Discrimination against LGBT individuals has also grown online over the past decade, according to Maki Muraki, who heads Nijiiro Diversity.

“I’m worried about the mental health of young sexual minorities,” Muraki said, adding, “That’s why the partnership systems have become such an important source of emotional support.”

Ken Suzuki, professor at Meiji University who specializes in comparative law and has been advocating for the introduction of partnership systems in local governments across the nation, noted that there were some achievements.

However, he emphasized that the partnership systems are only a transitional measure until same-sex marriage is legalized, also pointing out that the systems vary in detail across local governments and that there are still benefits exclusive to marriage.

“Existing laws were designed only for heterosexual individuals, and the laws have been operated without considering the existence of same-sex couples,” Suzuki said. “Changing social awareness would take some time. So, legalizing same-sex marriage is essential to arriving at a starting point.”

(This article was compiled from reports written by Isamu Nikaido, Sho Hatsumi and Kazuki Uechi.)

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