Is Gay Marriage A Possibility in Japan?

The lights in the auditorium dim. On the large screen at the front of the room, people in their wedding best are seen streaming into a church. The scene cuts between a man, a woman, and another man in a minister's collar, all smiling. Wedding vows are made, rings exchanged, and the two men kiss to seal their union. This public service ad from Sweden, where same-sex marriage was legalized May 1, kicked off the "Is Everyone Normal Now?" same-sex marriage seminar held at the Swedish Embassy July 20, in conjunction with the embassies of the Netherlands and the United States. For some of the Japanese in attendance, a number of whom attended the packed auditorium with their same-sex partners, the same questions colored the entire event: Will it happen in Japan, and if yes, then when? "Japan is behind, but I think it's possible," says one young man who attended the seminar, adding that he thinks Japan tends to look very carefully at what other countries are doing, especially the West. "Maybe in 10 years or so," he concludes. Full Story from The Mainichi Daily News

Planning to marry your partner? Click here for gay marriage resources.

To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right. You can also email us at info@purpleunions.com with "subscribe blog" as the subject. Or find us on Facebook - just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you'll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We're also tweeting daily at http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc.