Japan court rules same-sex marriage ban unconstitutional in landmark decision

A Japanese court ruled on Wednesday that the government's ban on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional. The Tokyo High Court stated the ban is "groundless legal discrimination" and violates the constitutional right to equality. This ruling follows several similar decisions. This is the seventh ruling against the ban, with only one court finding it constitutional. The court emphasized that marriage should not be limited to procreation and that there is no valid reason to exclude same-sex couples. The ruling has sparked hope among LGBTQ+ advocates, although the government has not finalized its response. Japan remains the only G7 country that does not recognize same-sex marriage or provide legal protections for LGBTQ+ couples.