As the G7 summit approaches in Hiroshima, Japan is under pressure to show greater support for equality. Despite polls showing overwhelming support for same-sex marriage, the country has yet to legalize it. Behind the scenes, a national Shinto association has spread a conservative ideological message among lawmakers, including on gay and transgender rights. The Shinto Association of Spiritual Leadership has distributed pamphlets describing homosexuality as an “acquired mental disorder” and warning of “left-wing activists” using the issue as a “weapon”.
The current L.G.B.T.Q. bill, which may come before the full Parliament as the G7 convenes, is weaker than one that failed two years ago. Foreign ambassadors have pushed the country to support equality more forcefully, while the Shinto group and other traditionalist forces have lagged behind public opinion.
Intolerance of gay relationships or transgender identity in Japan is relatively modern. During the Tokugawa period, same-sex partnerships were accepted, and gay and transgender performers appear regularly on television. Yet gay and transgender people say they continue to live hidden lives. Business leaders argue that Japan needs to align with its international peers to recruit workers from abroad and keep pace economically. As the G7 summit approaches, Japan is under pressure to show greater support for equality.