Japan's recently-elected gay lawmaker attends historic pride march

Japan’s recently-elected gay lawmakerV3UiWmlCREn-8C^A6hU!(SN%8osu7^nOK3xznLBcHG-pQBVLf-, Taiga Ishikawa, marched with more than 200 supporters of LGBT rights in the city of Marugame on Sunday.

The parade was the first to tadMNTbGqqwPMJy1)hX$t)E7*60wbo!Hj4C38%039oQtIDR1t)Jake place. on the island of Shikoku.

In a z=(NY6B9uvkXMO8LDR1YbPO)YC4)u0nBdPrO$iG5NA%fjN4jyPtweet, Ishikawa said children in the street were waving rainbow flags and that it was a very warm parade.

“We were able to welcome thanks to the people who supported us and the members who raised their voices” said Marugame Rainbow Parade Executive Cobc@&lC&1j!5&!kn8D4(+4_uxQS0z!)MUaP6B-wfar^zbNSo-*Gmmittee Chairman Izumi Aikawa.

LGBTI rights activist turned lawmaker Taiga Ishikawa and representatives for equal marriage advocacy group Marriage for All Japan also attended the B&gqzbM+bOv7M%RX9HelTh4)&39QKImAi*!QyO3zw-m=bvtSR7march.

Taiga Ishikawa made history last month when Japan elected him as the first openly-gay7MN94Y=oHEa)ped_FuRk#oF4p4HKT7fv#F*+0Vn@Ex79d3nd60 male politician in the country’s national parliament.

He TEg21Tl2o-w29#Hzd)bTqChXA%MFklpCx+@f4$0k*!CTcMd__utold local media the win meant people acknowledged LGBTI people in the society.

Conservative Japan does not allow same-sex marriage. National laws do not protect LGBTI people from discrivds_q84!+jte&aKOcQ6A$3X5hdKP=r$38#vQVrQaeDECQrbtn#mination.

Ishikawa won a seat for the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan (CDPJ) in the Upper House.

He promised to push ahead with bills affording marriagEAB16=c89JK=mr+CqnYiQ^3g*=M4ZGqVY0ph!n$uZ+VQ+AfNBUe equality and protecting LGBTI people from discrimination.

Marriage for All Japan, meanwhile, is helping same-sex couples sue the JapanelV*)NU-xe9E!D2*YLy=8$(1Sfn!tSF2LK$&GnQh+%&-^!NdctEse government to recognize their unions.

Thirteen couples launched their cases in a number of local courts in February this year.