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03 April 2021

Will Japan legalise gay marriage?

Last month, one of Japanese district courts, Sapporo District Court ruled that current Civil Law that does not recognise the same sex couple as legitimate married couple is unconstitutional. It was a revolutionary decision for Japanese judicial administration since Japanese constitution claims that marriage is recognised only if both sexes agree. But the court says this statement does not mean gay marriage is banned but to rule only individuals can decide who to marry. In the old days, it was common that parents of the couple decided who to marry without their will. Gay marriage was out of imagination. 

Rather the court paid attention to the other part of constitution that states all the people must be treated equal. So the current Civil law which only admits heterosexual couple to the marriage is unconstitutional. 

However, some claim gay marriage is not allowed in the constitution as says “both sexes” and traditional family value does not conform to gay marriage. 

As for public opinion survey, Asahi Shimbun Newspaper revealed that 65% of Japanese citizens of all ages support gay marriage. 5 years ago it was less than half. The society has drastically changed recently. 

Japanese parliament already has two openly gay members. Their party Constitutional Democratic Party proposes amendment of Civil law. 

Even among conservative side, current ruling party LDP, one of young representatives, KOIZUMI Shinjiro, whose father was Prime Minister between 2001 to 2005, said he is for gay marriage and he would be very considerate father if his child’s sexual orientation was same sex person when asked if he was pro-gay marriage and what he would do if his child was gay. 

Japan is not Christian nation so religious faith would not be an obstacle. Only the old values and peer pressure are problems. I guess it is a matter of time that Japan approve gay marriage legally and socially. 

Currently around 30 nations in the world legalised gay marraige. Among G7 nations Japan is the only nation that does not legalise gay marriage. Marriage equality is an urgent issue if Japan wants to join truly advanced members of the world. 

I would be proud of being Japanese and love my country more than ever if that happens. 

04 May 2020

Introducing Japan's gayest TV drama "Ossan's Love" aired on mainstream TV channel

While I locked down myself to prevent novel corona virus spread at home. I just happened to rent DVD drama programs "Ossan's Love" which was aired in 2018 on one of Japan's mainstream TV network channels, TV Asahi. The drama consists of 7 episodes. Each episode was about 40 minutes long.

lgbt, gay, homosexuality

What was shocking to me is the comedy drama featured male gay love affairs all the way although it was aired on the mainstream channel and then it became so popular that subsequent film version was released in nationwide theatres and another version of the TV drama was aired on the same time frame next year.

The story took place in a real estate agency in Tokyo. The protagonist is 33 year-old male worker named Haruta (Middle in the picture.) Although the story evolved around him, the most important character was his supervisor Kurosawa (right edge in the photo), 55 year-old man, which in Japan commonly referred to as “Ossan” meaning “Old guy” usually middle aged.

Kurosawa was head of sales department of the real estate agency, equivalent to vice president of the company and a rich man. One day Kurosawa told Haruta that he loved him and would divorce his wife (Second from right) to be with him. Haruta was shocked to know that because he did not share love romance with his supervisor although he respected and liked him as a good business man.

Kurosawa then asked his wife for a divorce and then Haruta got involved in Kurosawas divorce quarrel. But Haruta also got in love affair with another man, Maki (left edge in the photo) in the office. But Maki had another love affair with another male worker. Two gay love triangles crossed over in the drama. Finally Kurosawa proposed marriage to Haruta.

The drama was all about gay love and love romance between man and woman was sidelined in the story. The gay male characters were portrayed as normal and decent person, not like psychopath or deviant ones. This is the big difference from the past. Gay characters were very normal and positive in the mainstream TV drama. Gay love romance was treated just as equivalent to straight people’s love.

Not just broadcast nationally on mainstream media but the show became so popular that film version and another version in which similar gay love story took place in an airline company using the same main casts next year. In 2019 version Kurosawa was a captain pilot of the airplane and Haruta was a flight attendant. Airline company is really existing company meaning commercial airline company sponsored the program. 

Recently in Japan, more people have positive views on gay relationship and more people have become supportive of gay marriage. In national assembly there are two openly gay members, who call for legalization of the same sex marriage. Some municipal governments approved of the same sex partnership and provide certificates for the residents.

This show reflects this social change.

If you are interested, you can watch the English version of the show on Netflix.

11 May 2016

French film "Une Nouvelle Amie (The New Girlfriend)" Gender Identity & Sexual Orientation

The story of the film reminds me of American transwoman, Caitlyn Jenner, who was a Olympic gold medalist named Bruce Jenner.

He turned himself to be a woman at the age of 65 but her sexual preference was the same as before. She loves women.

The story started with a funeral scene and a woman named Claire who lost her bestfriend making a speech.

Her late bestfriend, Laura had been married and had a girl. One day Claire entered Laura's house and saw David, husband of Laura, dressed in woman cloth.

Claire was at first upset but later gradually accepting his feminine part and then attracted to him being a woman. In the end, the two fell in love with each other as two women.

Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation are two seperate matters. Never interlook each other.

The movie is about what is a big deal about gender and sexual orientation.

The actor who played David was excellent in terms of casting and his act as transwoman.

He was kind of a bi-sexual or neutral person but never disgusting. He was beautifully musculine as well as feminine.

In Japan it is said Gods or Buddha are asexual. Gender is what we, humanity defines.

Last week I attended one of LBGT events set forth for Tokyo Rainbow Parade 2016 held on 8 of May. The event was discussion on how family members of LGBT deal with their LGBT member and society. I met a Korean American woman whose daughter turned herself into male at the age of 16. She said she was encouraged by Jenner's coming out and was glad that her son could do the same much earlier age.

As the theme in this movie has become common recently, LGBT lifestyle has become more socially acceptable.

We may be living in a greatest transition period.

P.S. The French song, "Une femme avec moi" was just excellent as the movie as a whole. 

 

03:44 Posted in Film, France, Society | Permalink | Comments (0) | Tags: lgbt, gay, lesbian, women

01 June 2015

Film "Pride" The oppressed united

I just happened to know this film while participating in Tokyo Pride Parade event.

It was British movie. The Japanese title was "Parade e Yokoso (Welcome to the Parade)"

The story is based on facts. In 1980's coal miners did strike against Thatcher adminisitration's policy to close down unprofitable mines.

Gay activists in London launched fund-raising campaign named "Lesbians and Gays support miners."

At first they were not accepted by miners' community but later on both sides understood significance of corporation getting over the difference. Like one of important characters said "You support us so we support you."

In the end, miners joined gay parade to show solidarity with the activists.

The both oppressed communities got united to help each other.

I recently came up with the idea of new novel using the concept of unification among oppressed communities. Gays are not the only oppressed but women, disables, and recently those who are fearing new foreign military base construction in their local prefecture, Okinawa, Southernmost prefecture of Japan. For details, please read the articles tagged Okinawa in this blog.

The mining town in the film was in Wales. It was several hour drive from London but very different culture and people exist, even language is different. One different tribe in one nation. That thing is very much like Okinawa.  

I kind of do the similar action to the film, helping that prefecture people. On 24 May 2015 I joined protest activity such as human-chaining demonstration around Japan's Diet building in order to show solidarity with them.  

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Last year I saw the rainbow on the construction area. It appeared from the sea. The construction project is reclaiming the beautiful coral sea. It was on the same day after I attended Okinawa's gay pride event.

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Well, it seems another oppressed ones got united helping each other for the better future.

Just my fantasy?

 

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