Japan Will Launch Its First Nationwide LGBT Education Program

On June 16, 2026, the Japanese government approved its first basic plan to promote understanding of sexual and gender diversity. This program will serve as a guideline for national and local governments, schools, and businesses.

The plan includes developing training videos, creating informational leaflets, and improving psychological consultation systems. Schools are encouraged to expand students’ access to social workers, while universities are urged to include sexual diversity topics in the training programs for future doctors and teachers. The plan will be reviewed every three years based on public opinion surveys.

The program was developed under the Act on the Promotion of Public Understanding of LGBT People, passed by the Japanese parliament in 2023. Although the initial draft faced resistance from conservative politicians, the new plan has gained the support of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). It is expected to be soon signed by Sanae Takaichi, Japan’s prime minister, known for her conservative views. She has previously opposed the legalization of same-sex marriage, despite statements that discrimination is unacceptable. Experts suggest her stance may be softening under pressure from Japanese youth, who increasingly support marriage equality.

Japan remains the only Group of Seven (G7) country where same-sex marriages are not recognized nationally, and there are no nationwide laws against LGBT discrimination. Kazuyoshi Kawasaka, an LGBT rights expert from the University of Tokyo, notes that the government previously abandoned anti-discrimination laws to avoid conflict with the conservative wing of the LDP. This has significantly complicated the work of activists.

Students and experts are cautiously evaluating the new initiative. Yui Oizumi, a queer student at Sophia University in Tokyo, considers the program just a first step: “Training teachers and employers is good. But it will take a lot of time and effort, including through the media, to change the attitudes of ordinary people. Outright homophobia is rare in Japan today, but the average person simply doesn’t understand what it means to be a queer person — for many, it is an alien concept.” Political scientist Charles Crabtree from Monash University added: “A distorted view of the ‘other’ impedes people’s ability to empathize with those who are different. Education can change this .”

Meanwhile, the fight for the legalization of same-sex unions in Japan continues through the courts. In recent years, three of the country’s eight regional high courts have ruled that the government’s refusal to register same-sex marriages is unconstitutional. However, in November of last year, the Tokyo High Court ruled that the current ban does not violate the constitution, although the judge urged the parliament to thoroughly discuss the issue. In October of last year, the government took a small step toward the LGBT community by extending the application of nine laws regarding spousal rights and responsibilities to same-sex couples.