Japan Court Says Ban On Same-Sex Marriage Is Constitutional
Newsy
The Osaka court ruled Monday that freedom of marriage in the 1947 constitution only applies to heterosexual unions.
A Japanese court ruled Monday that the country’s ban on same-sex marriage does not violate the constitution, and rejected demands for compensation by three couples who said their right to free union and equality has been violated.
The Osaka District Court ruling is the second decision on the issue, and disagrees with a ruling last year by a Sapporo court that found the ban on same-sex marriages unconstitutional. It underscores how divisive the issue remains in Japan, the only member of the Group of Seven major industrialized nations that does not recognize same-sex unions.
In its ruling, the Osaka court rejected the plaintiffs' demand for $7,400 in damages per couple for discrimination they face.
