July 1, 2021

Out of 1,724 municipalities in Japan, 106 municipalities, as of June 1, officially certify civil partnerships for same-sex couples.

The combined population of the latter accounts for 37.4% of the total.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly in early June unanimously approved a petition submitted by a group of sexual minorities calling for the establishment of a civic "partnership system". If the Tokyo metropolitan government introduces the partnership certification system, 48.7% of the total population in Japan will be under local governments with such a system, including the Saga and Mie prefectural governments and the Nagoya City government where the enactment of a similar system is in the pipeline.

LGBT people said, "Tokyo's participation in the partnership certification system will give hope to many same-sex couples throughout Japan."

Japanese Communist Party Tokyo Metropolitan Assemblymembers have been working to have the metropolitan government implement a system to officially endorse the partnership of same-sex couples. They have repeatedly taken up this issue in the assembly. The July 4 Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly election provides a good opportunity for voters to increase the number of pro-"partnership system" legislators and elect a metropolitan assembly which moves forward to endorse the partnership certification system.

Past related article:
> Group supporting same-sex marriage asks JCP for cooperation in legalizing same-sex marriage [March 26, 2021]