Tokyo: Japan must clearly show the international community its stance of working to realize a society where diversity is respected, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Monday.

He made the remark at a meeting of the Audit Committee of the House of Councillors, the upper chamber of Japan’s parliament, referring to planned legislation to promote understanding for LGBT people and other sexual minorities.

Kishida added only that the government will keep a close eye on further discussions in the suprapartisan group of lawmakers that drafted the bill, as well as within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party. He refrained from disclosing concrete plans, such as when the legislation will be submitted to the Diet.

The draft bill calls for obliging the government to draw up a basic plan to promote understanding for sexual minorities.

Discussions on the legislation, compiled in 2021, have been stalled partly due to opposition from conservative LDP members against some clauses added at the request of the opposition camp, including one stating that discrimination cannot be tolerated.

Lawmakers supporting the legislation are calling for enacting it before Japan hosts a summit of the Group of Seven major democracies in the western city of Hiroshima in May.

Regarding the proposed introduction of selective dual surname and same-sex marriage systems, Kishida said, “It’s important to have more discussions, based on public opinion, Diet deliberations, court judgments and local government systems.”

JIJI Press