TOKYO -- Pressure is building on the Japanese government to extend marriage rights to LGBTQ couples after the Osaka High Court said Tuesday that failure to do so was unconstitutional, the fifth such ruling by a high court in a series of cases filed against the state by a campaign group.
The judgments are expected to provide a tailwind when the legal battle is decided by the Supreme Court. Japanese lawmakers have been reluctant to codify marriage equality but would be obliged to act if the top court deems the current situation unconstitutional. Japan remains the only Group of Seven member yet to take such steps and lags behind Taiwan and Thailand in Asia.
