Tokyo Court Upholds Ban on Same-Sex Marriage in Japan

Fri Nov 28 2025 19:54:23 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

In a setback for LGBTQ+ rights, a Tokyo court has ruled that Japan's ban on same-sex marriage is constitutional, diverging from recent rulings that favored marriage equality.

A Tokyo court has deemed Japan's same-sex marriage ban as constitutional, disappointing many who hoped for progress on marriage equality. The ruling comes as Japan remains the only G7 nation without full legal recognition for same-sex couples. The decision has sparked outrage among plaintiffs and advocacy groups, who emphasize the need for legislative change to address this issue as calls for legal comprehensiveness continue. The matter is expected to proceed to the Supreme Court despite changing tides in other recent rulings.

A Japanese court has ruled the country's ban on same-sex marriage as constitutional - bucking a trend set by courts around the country that had raised hopes for marriage equality in Japan.

The ruling was met with disappointment from plaintiffs and their legal team who had gathered outside the Tokyo courthouse.

Japan is the only G7 country that does not fully recognise same-sex couples or offer them clear legal protection. But it's not an outlier in Asia, where only Taiwan, Thailand and Nepal offer same-sex marriages.

Ayumi Higashi, the judge who delivered the verdict, said laws on same-sex marriage should first be deliberated in parliament, the Mainichi reported.

Outside the Tokyo courthouse on Friday, the plaintiffs of the lawsuit and their legal team held up signs that read unjust verdict, local media reported.

Shino Kawachi, one of the plaintiffs, told local media that the ruling was difficult to comprehend. What is justice? Was the court even watching us? Were they considering the next generation? she asked.

Her partner, Hiromi Hatogai, expressed her outrage, questioning whether the judiciary was on our side, yet conveyed their resolve to continue fighting.

Amnesty International described the ruling as a damaging step backwards on same-sex marriage, urging the Japanese government to take proactive measures towards legalizing same-sex marriage.

The verdict on Friday is the last among six high court rulings on same-sex marriage lawsuits filed between 2019 and 2021, with five courts previously declaring the ban unconstitutional while rejecting plaintiffs' compensation claims.

The Tokyo high court's ruling marks an exception within a series of verdicts that seemed to bolster the push for legalizing same-sex marriage in Japan. The cases will next be taken to the Supreme Court.

}