Japan court says Ban on same -sex Marriage constitutional

A Japanese court ruled Monday that the country’s ban on same-sex marriage does not violate the constitution and rejected demands for compensation by three couples who said their right to free union and equality has been violated. ⁠
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The Osaka District Court ruling is the second decision on the issue and disagrees with a ruling last year by a Sapporo court that found the ban on same-sex marriages unconstitutional. It underscores how divisive the issue remains in Japan, the only member of the Group of Seven major industrialized nations that do not recognize same-sex unions. ⁠
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In its ruling, the Osaka court rejected the plaintiffs’ demand for 1 million yen ($7,400) in damages per couple for the discrimination they face. ⁠
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The plaintiffs — two male couples and one female couple — were among 14 same-sex couples who filed lawsuits against the government in five major cities — Sapporo, Tokyo, Nagoya, Fukuoka, and Osaka — in 2019 for violating the rights to free union and equality. ⁠