On Wednesday, the Tokyo High Court declared Japan’s ban on same-sex marriage as “groundless legal discrimination” and a violation of the constitutional guarantee of equality.
The ruling follows a similar decision by the Sapporo High Court in March, marking the second high court and seventh court overall to find the ban unconstitutional.
Plaintiffs in the case celebrated the ruling, urging the government to take immediate action. While the government plans to appeal, pressure is mounting to legalize same-sex marriage, especially after the ruling Liberal Democratic Party lost its parliamentary majority in recent elections.
