In 2015 the Dentsu Diversity Lab conducted a survey that revealed that 7.6% of respondents identified as LGBTQ in Japan. Despite this, additional surveys showed that nearly 80% of LGBTQ employees in Japan are not open about their identity at work. Furthermore, they reported that they spend upwards of 30% of their time concealing their identity. Despite the lack of any widespread religious reservations, people will still choose to conceal their identity when at work in Japan. This is because Japan is a country where people are known for being intensely private. There is a strong, culturally ingrained dislike for standing out in a crowd that comes from a desire to preserve group cohesion and harmony as best as possible. Additionally, lack of education about LGBTQ rights and issues has led more conservatively leaning individuals to the wrong impression that allowing same sex marriage will further impact the already incredibly low birth rate in Japan today. Despite this (or perhaps because of this) there are some increasingly progressive measures being enacted in the country in terms of LGBTQ rights and inclusion.
On October 5th of 2018 the Tokyo Metropolitan government enacted a bill that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. This law was passed in preparation for the 2020 Olympics that are to be held in Tokyo. It was enacted in efforts to curtail hate speech leading up to and during the games next year. As a result of the bill, public spaces like parks will be monitored in order to restrict such hate speech from taking place. The act is also in compliance with the Olympic Charter goal of respect for all human rights. Additionally, this act commits the government to conduct a public education campaign and raise awareness for LGBTQ issues and rights.
Companies in Japan are increasingly becoming aware and making strides to promote inclusivity in the work place for their employees. A great deal of this drive for inclusivity comes from increasing pressure from U.S. and European companies who consider factors like inclusion and human rights policies when selecting international business partners. In 2016, 30 Japanese companies and organizations came together to come up with standardized policies to make workplaces more LGBTQ friendly and inclusive. Participation included people from companies such as Sony, Panasonic, and Dai-ichi Life Insurance. Some of the standards they enacted as a result included recognition of same-sex marriages and provision of gender-neutral facilities such as bathrooms and changing facilities. Companies took these standards and used them when creating their own in-house policies.
Despite increasing efforts being made for LGBTQ inclusivity in Japan, there is still a lot of work to be done. Currently there are still no anti-discrimination laws at the national level. Although several municipalities and prefectures already recognize same-sex partnerships, there is no federal recognition of same sex marriages yet. Additionally, archaic laws in place continue to prevent transgender people in Japan from receiving legal recognition in the form of official documents with their correct gender identity without first undergoing unnecessary and invasive medical procedures. Despite all this, I hope positive steps in the right direction continue to be taken, and the conversation continues in order for the public to become increasingly aware of LGBTQ rights as basic human rights.
Here at Undokaiya, we strive to provide a safe place for diversity and inclusion of people from all walks of life at all of our Undokai. Undokai has been used in a variety of workplace events, from diversity training to team building, new employee orientation to company-wide gatherings. The goal has always been to bring people together, regardless of their differences.
