Japan is a country often described as having a complicated, shifting relationship with issues of sexuality and gender.
In the traditional Japan of centuries ago the official religion, Shinto, contained no sexual prohibitions. Consequently, sex was viewed solely in terms of pleasure, social position and responsibility. There was no such thing as a homosexual or heterosexual person, only homosexual or heterosexual acts. Same-sex love was celebrated in many literary and artistic works, and at times, sexual love between men was viewed as the purest form of love. Homosexuality even occurred amongst Japan’s elite warrior classes, who practiced shudo – the way of the youth – when a young samurai would be apprenticed to an older, more experienced man, who would take him on as his protégé and lover. Japanese society, meanwhile, has maintained a strict hierarchy of traditional gender roles, whilst at the same time viewing gender as something which transcends the purely anatomical, particularly where spiritual, religious and artistic matters are concerned.
Today however, Western-influenced modern Japan lags behind its industrialised counterparts in most areas of queer rights. At a federal level there is no protection from discrimination on the basis of sexuality, although some local government authorities have banned discrimination in employment. Marriage, as in Australia, is expressly defined as being between a man and a woman only and there are no other relationship recognition provisions. Until recently subsidised housing was only available to single or married persons. Queer representation in the media is largely restricted to humorous, stereotyped depictions and many in Japan’s GLBT community lead deeply ‘closeted’ lives, often marrying for the sake of appearance.
Notable exceptions to Japan’s overall treatment of its GLBT citizens are seen in the age of consent laws (13, regardless of sexuality); its comparatively early decriminalisation of sodomy in 1880; and the allowing of sex reassignment procedures to performed for minors provided parental consent is given.
Given the current climate, it caused a considerable stir when an openly lesbian candidate, Kanako Otsuji, received the endorsement of one of two major political parties – The Democratic Party of Japan for a possible seat in the Upper House. ‘Endorsement by a major political party is the first step in changing society,’ Otsuji stated, adding ‘By serving as a politician who is openly lesbian, I can make the homosexual population a visible issue… and work to create a society that admits different lifestyles.’ She is only the second queer politician to come to attention in Japan, joining transsexual woman Aya Kamikaw, a Municipal Official still officially considered male. Otsuji, a 32 year old martial arts black belt, kicked off her election campaign in spectacular style, with a ‘marriage’ ceremony to her partner of 4 years, Maki Kimura. Her campaign platform included bias-free education, establishing anti-discrimination laws and provision for civil unions.
Otsuji failed to win a seat however, an outcome that is seen as reflective of the caution felt by many Japanese, worried about the personal cost for them if they were seen to support an openly lesbian candidate. The opportunity missed, many fear there is no telling when another openly gay or lesbian candidate will be endorsed. It appears that modern day Japan still has a long way to go before same-sex love is once again visible and acceptable.
