A Japanese high court ruled that denying same-sex marriage is unconstitutional and called for urgent government action to address the lack of any law allowing for such unions.
The Sapporo High Court ruling said that not allowing same-sex couples to marry and enjoy the same benefits as straight couples violates their fundamental right to equality and freedom of marriage.
The case was brought by three same-sex couples who appealed three years ago after a lower court recognized the unconstitutionality of excluding same-sex couples from marriage equality.
Government offices may continue to deny marriage status to same-sex couples unless the existing law is revised to include LGBTQ couples or a new law is enacted that allows for other types of unions.
Japan is the only member of the Group of Seven nations that still excludes same-sex couples from the right to legally marry and receive spousal benefits. But support for marriage equality has grown among the Japanese public in recent years.
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