June 18, 2026

The government on June 16 approved a basic plan relating to the Act on the Promotion of Public Understanding of Diversity in Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (LGBT understanding promotion law). This is the first time such a plan has been formulated, and it will serve as a guideline for initiatives by local municipalities, schools, and businesses.

To foster understanding of sexual minorities, the plan includes measures to promote academic research, disseminate knowledge, and establish counseling systems.

Although the LGBT awareness-raising law was enacted in 2023, it took the LDP-led government three years to draw up a basic plan due to intra-party conflict regarding sexual diversity.

Commenting on this, Nihi Sohei, a Japanese Communist Party member of the House of Councillors, stated, “The LDP bears a grave responsibility for the resulting policy vacuum.”

Nihi pointed out that the basic plan contains neither numerical targets nor target years for achievement. As for the substance of the measures, he added, “The plan remains limited to current awareness-raising efforts, such as distributing pamphlets, so I doubt if it is effective enough.”

He also expressed concern that the LDP’s push to include the phrase “with due regard to ensuring that all citizens can live with peace of mind” in the plan may hinder the promotion of understanding of LGBTQ+ people, given that the wording “peace of mind for the majority” is deliberately used in the plan.

He stated, “Being able to lead a social life in accordance with one’s sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) is a right. We should strive for a society that respects the dignity of every individual.” He also expressed his determination to reflect the views of LGBTQ+ individuals in order to fully implement the law and improve measures such as awareness-raising education in schools.

Past related article:
> LGBT bill far from eliminating discrimination becomes law [June 16 & 17, 2023]