Tokyo Couple Receive Japan's First Same-Sex Marriage Certificate (Photo)

 

Two women Koyuki Higashi and Hiroko Masuhara have become the first same-sex couple in Japan to receive a certificate officially recognizing their marriage.

 

They were issued their certificate on Thursday, November 5.

Masuhara spoke with reporters after the smiling couple, rainbow fans in hand, collected their same-sex partnership certificate at city hall in Tokyo's Shibuya district. She said: "I am exhilarated that the city I am living [in] has recognized my partner as my family."

According to Reuters, the document will afford Higashi, 30, and Masuhara, 37, a variety of benefits as a couple, including the ability to rent an apartment together and participate in family-only hospital visits,

Although many of Japan's younger citizens support LGBT rights, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has expressed his reluctance to legalize same-sex marriage, saying it would be difficult to revise the country's constitution, which states: "Marriage shall be based only on the mutual consent of both sexes."

 

Nevertheless the move is considered by many to be a huge step forward for Japan, a country where being openly gay is still very much a taboo.