This fascinates me, in part because I've been reading so much yaoi manga lately and the status of gays in Japan is fairly unclear -- there is a range of reactions toward homosexuality represented there (although the stories are, obviously, supportive of same-sex relationships), but I have no real idea of the legal and social context for gays in Japan. (I guess it's time for a little research on my part.)
The Justice Ministry plans to enable Japanese nationals to marry same-sex partners who have citizenship in countries where gay marriage is legally approved, ministry sources said Thursday.
The ministry will issue certificates necessary for such marriage of Japanese citizens and foreigners, the sources said, adding the ministry will soon convey the decision to its legal affairs bureaus across the nation, the sources said.
Same-sex marriage is not legal in Japan, but this decision puts them a long step farther than the U.S. government.
(Thanks to Andrew Sullivan.)
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