Research has found 8.9 percent of Japan’s population identify as LGBT.

Dentsu, Japan’s largest advertising agency, surveyed 60,000 Japanese residents between the ages of 20 and 59 in October 2018.

Importantly, 8.9 percent identified as LGBTI. What’s more, this is up from 7.6 percent in 2015 and 5.1 percent in 2012.

Half of LGBT people surveyed told Dentsu they had not come out at work. Eighty percent approved of same-sex marriage.

October’s survey also revealed 70 percent of people had heard of the term LGBT.

Interestingly, however, 80 percent of respondents said they agreed with same-sex marriage.

Law suits and protests

Japan’s largely conservative society does not allow same-sex marriage.

What’s more, there is no nationwide legislation to protect LGBTI people from discrimination based on their sexuality or gender identity.

But, a growing number of cites throughout Japan have allowed same-sex couples to officially register with their local municipal governments under the partnership oath system.

Last month, however, ten couples announced they would be suing the government for its stance on marriage equality.

They claim government’s stance is unconstitutional.

‘We want our call to be widespread so that the freedom to marry will be recognized for everyone,’ one of the lawyers involved told the Japan Times.

Meanwhile, two Japanese women plan to marry 26 times to protest the situation in their home country.

Last week, a ruling Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker, Katsuei Hirasawa, came under fire for saying the nation would ‘collapse’ if everyone was LGBTI.

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