Job Discussion Forums

[bluelungs2]

I wanted to know if anyone had some firsthand knowledge about the ease in which gay couples can procure visas to live and work in Japan.

If I'm an American who is legally married to my American husband, do you think it is possible for me to get a visa for him, so he could come live with me, should I decide to work in Japan?

Japan is kind of strange in its law, in that it does not have same-sex marriage in its own country, but it will recognize same-sex marriages that are performed elsewhere, but not for 2 of its own citizens, only for one of its own citizens with a foreigner. So a Japanese national and a Dutch national who are married in the Netherlands can have their marriage recognized in Japan, but not two Japanese people.

I haven't been able to find any articles about 2 foreign nationals who are not Japanese citizens having their marriage recognized or not. Have you heard or read anything about this, either way? Or who would I contact in Japan to get an answer to this? Would being the two legal parents of a child affect our status at all, or would you be able to offer alternate options or suggestions for me?

Thank you so much for your time and help.

P.S. -- sorry, I had a 5th option for the poll (After 20 years or never), but I think I forgot to click "add" before I posted it.

[Pitarou]

I suggest you contact Debito Arudou and put your question to him.

Debito is a naturalised Japanese citizen, and a campaigner on human rights and immigration issues in Japan. He is co-author of the Handbook for Newcomers, Migrants and Immigrants to Japan. He's also something of a firebrand who seems to have acquired more than his fair share of enemies, but don't let that put you off.

He maintains a website at [url]debito.org[/url], and there's contact information at http://www.debito.org/?page_id=312.

If his advice is helpful to you, he might also appreciate a small donation. Debito has to spend real money these days to secure his website against hackers.

[Pitarou]

By the way, in answer to your poll question: not in my lifetime. I think matters will improve for same-sex couples but, out of deference to ancestral custom, Japan will never officially recognise their relationship as "marriage".

As you know, Japan already recognises same-sex marriages solemnized overseas. I'm sure you're also aware of the practice of same-sex couples legally adopting one another, so they become father and son, or mother and daughter. It's telling that there have been no serious moves to oppose this practice.

I reckon that, sooner or later, all this parent-child incest will start to become a little embarrassing. The civil service will respond by allowing people to register some kind of general "kinship tie" without specifying what that relationship actually is. Then the powers that be will quietly start to treat some of these "kinship ties" as if they were marriage. But officially recognising them as "genuine" marriages would, I fear, be a step too far.

[Big_H]

Though I've never been to Japan, imho I suspect that their view on the matter is somewhat similar to the one allowing all the foreigners that bring their experiences and western culture in to be granted citizenship, sharing in common the nationalists' reservation of it affecting their identity.

[Apsara]

I agree with Pitarou- none of the above. There might be a point at which something like a civil union becomes legal in the next 20-30 years, but same sex marriages in the same way as there now are in New Zealand etc? Not for many decades, if ever.

[rxk22]

[rtm]

[steki47]

[rxk22]