LGBTQ rights in Ibaraki Prefecture

Ibaraki Prefecture was the first prefecture of Japan and in the Kantō region to introduce a partnership registry for same-sex couples, as well as the second in the country to pass LGBT-inclusive nondiscrimination protections.

Recognition of same-sex relationships and families

See also: Recognition of same-sex unions in Japan and Partnership oath in Japan

National recognition

Since March 19, 2021, the Supreme Court of Japan has held that common-law marriages may exist between same-sex couples.^[1] On March 26, 2024, the Supreme Court overturned a lower-court decision, finding that a man whose same-sex partner was murdered was entitled to the same benefits granted to bereaved family members and classifying the relationship as a common-law marriage.^[2]

On June 11, 2024, following the Supreme Court's decision, the Parliamentary League for Considering LGBT Issues petitioned the cabinet to administratively apply provisions in statute regarding common-law marriages to same-sex couples.^[3][4] In January 2025, Minister Junko Mihara announced that 24 national laws regarding common-law marriages would be applied to same-sex couples, while 131 others would be subject to further review.^[5] On October 3, nine further laws regarding common-law marriages were extended to same-sex couples, while excluding 120 others.^[6]

Prefectural recognition

In January 2019, the Government of Ibaraki Prefecture announced it was considering introducing a partnership system for same-sex couples in April 2019.^[7][8][9] In March 2019, Governor Kazuhiko Ōigawa expressed his personal support for the introduction of such a scheme.^[10] The Ibaraki Prefectural Assembly began examining legislation to this effect in June 2019.^[11] The prefecture has offered partnership certificates since July 1, 2019, which made it the first prefecture to do so.^[12][13] As of June 2022, at least 71 partnerships were registered in Ibaraki Prefecture.^{[citation needed]}

On 18 August 2022, the Ibaraki prefectural government announced they would recognize Saga Prefecture's partnership certificates, becoming the first prefectures to do so.^[14] Similar agreements were signed by Ibaraki with Tochigi and Gunma on 20 December,^[15] Mie on 31 January 2023,^[16] and Toyama.on September 4, 2023.^[17] An agreement was signed by the prefecture with the city of Saitama in Saitama Prefecture on October 30, 2023.^[18] On October 23, 2024, the prefectural government announced its accession to the Partnership System Inter-Municipality Collaboration Network to mutually recognize the registries of 18 other prefectures and 150 municipalities.^[19]

Discrimination protections

In March 2019, legislation banning discrimination against "sexual minorities" was passed in Ibaraki Prefecture.^[20][21]