Tokyo’s Shibuya district breaks Japanese sexuality taboo

A district assembly in Tokyo became the first to recognise same-sex partnerships in Japan, where being openly gay remains taboo.

The vote on March 31 by Tokyo’s Shibuya ward may seem insignificant compared to other highly industrialised nations such as the US, where gay marriage is legal in all but 13 states, but just proposing the statute set off an unprecedented discussion over equality, and is likely to pave the way for similar measures elsewhere in Japan.