By Elaine Lies

TOKYO (Reuters), – Japanese LGBTQ activists praised Tokyo’s announcement to create a system of same-sex partnerships as a major step forward in their fight for equality. Japan is the only G7 member that has not yet fully recognized same-sex marital relationships.

On Tuesday, Yuriko Koike, Tokyo’s governor said that the Japanese capital would create a framework to allow partnerships in the early part of next year. The goal is for them to be legalized by the fiscal year starting April 2022. Potentially, Tokyo’s extension to the system could benefit more than half of Japan’s citizens.

The system allows same-sex couples to register their relationship to gain certain privileges, including the right to share a place to live and the ability to visit the hospital together.

Even though it doesn’t make Tokyo a legally married nation, Tokyo’s adoption of the partnership model is seen by many as an important step in legalizing same-sex relationships in a nation that still regards marriage as being based upon “the mutual consent” of both the sexes.

Masa Yanagisawa is head of Prime Services Japan for Goldman Sachs (NYSE) and a board member for activist group “Marriage for All Japan”.

Some conservatives are concerned that these partnerships could be a symbolic piece of paper and threaten Japanese traditional family systems or Japanese tradition. This will hopefully be an opportunity to show otherwise.

In 2015, Tokyo’s Shibuya Ward was the first to implement the partnership system. Campaign group Nishiiro Diversity claims that the system covers approximately 41% of Japan’s total population. The extension of this partnership system to Tokyo could mean more than half the country would be eligible, with the potential to benefit from it.

The system has been advocated by activists for many years. They have intensified their lobbying efforts in the lead up to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. These efforts were halted due to the coronavirus pandemic that delayed them until this summer.

Takeharu Kato (a lawyer who was responsible for the landmark March court case which ruled against same-sex marriage) stated that there may have been some restraint toward the national government.

Kato said, “Tokyo as a whole didn’t adopt the partnership model before the Games.”

According to a recent survey, 70% of Tokyo’s residents favored same-sex relationships.

Gon Matsunaka, a LGBTQ rights activist said that “I am sure the Olympics had an effect since Tokyo.”

Tokyo is also keen to attract foreign businesses and be known as a global centre. Many of these companies are more concerned with LGBTQ rights.

In preparation for Governor Koike’s announcement, she met with foreign business leaders. They said that Tokyo was behind, according to Yanagisawa, Goldman.

He said, “From the perspective of a Goldman Sachs employee we want to recruit international talent but Japan always is at a disadvantage.”

“We provide our employee benefits in addition to the national to attempt to evenize the system, but it’s not possible to do so. Evidently not everyone can.”

Next is to make marriage legal, although this will likely require more localities to implement same-sex partnerships regulations. This pressure on the government means that it cannot ignore it.

Kato said, “Ofcourse I’m happy.” But this is only one step on a long journey. This is a waypoint on a long road to actual marriage.