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

Japan’s QhPq!uGW6FRrP!m%IIL1BZ2Y2Ob(5E^Vpg1e5=QxBRpQ-ORl2erecently-elected gay lawmaker, Taiga Ishikawa, marched with more than 200 supporters of LGBT rights in the city of Marugame on Sunday.

The parade was the first to take place. on the 3TjxjvmgE&Efahm2EI@3fAyG28h4Iw8R7hcC6R!P9*R_KsT-F%island of Shikoku.

In a tweet, Ishikawa said children in the street were waving rainbow flags and that it was a ve_H@DXZL)yiEyA!M$)dk-IPLgxGy#Sb81Yjg1hsWK4VrHcYxdRZry warm parade.

“We were able to welcome thanks to the people who supported us aa!0#P2aW0+4r0(!C$wrBdZk-FKProF2mBCug!jUAlgD_@P@Et2nd the members who raised their voices” said Marugame Rainbow Parade Executive Committee Chairman Izumi Aikawa.

LGBTI rights activist turned lawmaker Taiga Ishikawa and representatives for equal marriage advocacy group Marriage for All Jshatj=oC7CXgs9Z=MPPlg7KZb#c0XMG1pd4C$(6IkuyjnzTS!Iapan also attended the march.

Taiga Ishikawa made&J_GCfbP%Q64Z+to4@JXIu!cA!WSVz(sxG(W#*pK&yg)xVJsmR history last month when Japan elected him as the first openly-gay male politician in the country’s national parliament.

He told local media the win meant people ack9^pBF6pYtZzSlK1afW)GK8QoM+v5R!FxQo&B7@P8!z_s)3JA8Rnowledged LGBTI people in the society.

Conservative$sqy+D)sNm*lqBb_L4#F)3D$$a@Q#sP++lji&C6szO7*ZI4c!( Japan does not allow same-sex marriage. National laws do not protect LGBTI people from discrimination.

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 marriage eG292F%uPT#-xqlSG+LEelvM_naLFu&&TPEsVneGSr(Q9Wjs=dsquality and protecting LGBTI people from discrimination.

Marriage for All Japan, meanwhile, is helping same-sex couples sue UAAw09jB^kWQ-K!LnNjXsX)hvDT6s2%I3&9-yqOQIvCB(o^B%+the Japanese government to recognize their unions.

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