News / Sep. 04, 2019
The Japanese governm4tcCn*nMe-e1QkoEYgrKzw^OlBl0CFLl0SEP4#&6q4!l!A@dhXent this week granted a long-term visa to a South Asian transgender woman.
It is believed to be the first transgender person to uI@r2ynTl48^7PYk$faubVj%AVTzBiuQEFzj2Y(@$l0myZTiW5receive special permission to stay in the country, according to the Japan Times.
The 58-year-old was granted a one-year long-(%ox@Iz22mNx9xa8aw^Y-aUM92^SHKHnknJ&6&oMZ&3g5lZ9Dlterm resident visa. She first came to Japan in 1981 under an entertainer visa.
She could not return to her home country because she faced abuse 8mo$4GR_5STg1gOUylLonL%12aaoNK5QxNH9_E9Icea7ztAxcybecause of her gender identity, the Japan Times reports.
In k_ynqn_DLKyLuf6!3)lucXYeyvueTl2fLpNPWhy*bXRCens%U!2002 she met her current partner. The pair registered their relationship in 2016.
“Her long-term relationship with a Japanese man may have been a decisive factor the Justice Ministry took into consideration while reviewing the case,” said Miho Kumazawa, a lawyer representing the woman, aG2m+yb+DU%)k5ivBiLlkJSkMj4aSHCd3d1ELUX4_ck$W!Lpu2Xt a news conference in Tokyo on Monday.
“I need to repay the kindness I’ve been given (by Japan) and I’ll do my best to keep my promise I gave when I was granted the visa” the woman, who refused to give her name or nationality, said during Monday’s news conference.
LGBTI rights in Japan
Japan is the only member of the G7 bloc of most-developb51TO5S7iNDw0tPDH=ulO2_2n2^rYG)3l3RS$ezx(kVs+QNBFhed nations that does not recognize same-sex marriage.
National laws do not protect LGBTI people from discrimination. The country’s laws also require transgender citizens to undergo steriliy)MTH6#ceB_NgWj^Y1(=7$4ef3DGmpxNDSR5f__s2gc0u@2FJPzation in order to officially change gender.
But, increasing numbers of local administrations are recognizing same-sex couples with partnership certificates which give very l89MY&*P9iB1S4$hVOHpypmUqbH(tfnMwP(z+VSu566@lO0VCo$imited recognition and rights.
And, 13 same-sex couples are taking the gl!3mmsBKo$EN2EKCM(fZWE0ly!_Jbp5B0E$dK9bpT!ZH6Bm2Fyovernment to court to recognize their relationships.
In March this year, Japan granted spEHgS4p1zxvS4CJnBcwq#%2jZy_vsR!3mtnV7eH@5QPxQLrwUHfecial permission to a gay Taiwanese man to stay in Japan with his partner.
The manqu+hXy)KKVb)cJhM=E0sl(URmQvZOEjmrNJGV&Nr9#Ve*Dc34b, who is in his 40s, lived with his partner in Japan for 25 years.
He illegally overstayed his visa. However, in a raOP!6z=8+U4#iMx!qCnpHn(*(Y42er%p+lueM5R$GP&C0*1U@Mbre move by the government, his deportation order was revoked and a special residency status was granted.
And, in July, it was announced that Japan last year granted an LGBTI refugee asylum last year as they were at risk due to their sexuality in their country of origikzXl_=pi8wf4moEe+(*l%qk#i*nBdL=TfN+4yFrxwlBOwi6sZfn.
It was the first knoKLO#CnUsy0ZJyx_2BmwdLc9a7pCfKloO=5Id))xibHZ21N$+pFwn case of Japan granting asylum based on sexual orientation.
