News / Aug. 13, 2019
Japan will hold its first LGBT rugby tournament in October alongside thr&-mKs9suo-B0oJ^ZE09zUxUv6hQb_Gg04sX8P**4okw*%1_9&e Rugby World Cup.
The International Inclusive Challenge in Tokyo will see six teams from across the region, including the Tokyo Crusaders and the Beijing Devils, take part in the day-long tournament during the Rugby t4i70u6S(RTLS9W)wNTx@hZ7ecG3o6)MkVabAYWd#HADGAAy2*World Cup.
Organizer Aaron Pokluda said he approached International Gay Rugby (IGR) to hold an event to build gay sports and5$2q9e)ptJZx^^#Tv@WnxKKV!-sUSo1PJuoL%6LHYnONUAUmRe rugby in the region.
tvU1gMHxShU3ux7AdGIa4gf+Ux*4pOxE%8VwIdIShM1oOEaXrm"We are very excited because this event has grown beyond what we could've ever dreamed," he said
Teams would be coming from as nearby as downtown Tokyo and as far away as Toronto,tj^^PA=my8g3EISS3sHyzxML9IIM^hmfE^tHC*X-DuWjOoop(b Canada he said. "This is going to be a very diverse and wonderful competition."
Conservative Japan does not recognize same-sex marriages. Nor is there legislation to protect against dis891%WMWvql6K6o4rVGy@uXF9!r#X_HmmsEW7b=NRR)*zdc47n-crimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.
A recent survey found 65% of LGBTI Japanese had not told anyone about theiO+o$E_T_y(Pw0+gqjSR=pzJT6yIGe%@fKhelarx_#Hm_9yR-)Zr sexuality.
Pokluda said Japan’s LGBT sports scene was very mixed. Volleyball and badminton, he said, had some LGBT teams. "But, there'skvuo*grWEPXy7)&bI6x!xBIp@Xe-nyyMB7*_WB5sGTBSvF5BbY never really been anything with Contacts sports like Rugby", he explained. 'We've decided to change that."
"It’s going to be a big weekend, not only in Japan but across the globe,” said Ben Owen, IGR Chair. “We now have clubs on every continent which is a magnificent milestone to achieve, showcasin2A4DDZR$RSEl%jVEj7))HzQD557%VgDO1AO*TuRxPxs_$!RfxAg just how inclusive and global the sport of rugby is.”
LGBT rights in Japan
Japan has recently made progress on LGBT rights. For example, an increasing number of local authorities are now offering partnershipee-Ue=&K9RBX#ICT*XKLuQpjbGK9^n5E8A6-1PYGrwl#6@boF7 certificates to afford same-sex couples recognition at hospitals and in government housing.
Ibaraki became the first prefectuXVXnJYbdp!sJgjyRAvq5op!N%8Gm$u@XKpDZX_nW9eSUz$I7&yre, and therefore largest local authority, to introduce the system last month.
What’s more, the country also eleci3jOBNoL1pdj6I_!nVc@zEKfMmw^UXAMHps^(+FFbW5mLB=8jwted its first openly-gay male politician to parliament recently. Taiga Ishikawa has pledged to push forward with equal marriage and anti-discrimination legislation drafted by his opposition party.
But, Japan’s ruling party is notoriously anti-LGBT rights and has been involved in a number of high-profile homophobic scandSL=Wn8XH5-%eXm+qo(TbNp5Ocnn(!^lslIxU1q+n&2iOL=cqgXals.
What’s more, for the first time same-sex couples are suing the Japanese government tdy+_%5Mcvl9hbFoH2LB_zSR=q4B@sDt!7&2$5@ZQ+zRK!I39yZo recognize their unions.
The 13 couples first launchkWR1gJfRm0y!uGj9g@WuFbUq4pix%3D1(Nd%svEak1A!_hbMv&ed their cases in a number of local courts in February this year.
