Abstract

Since the 2010s, the rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) people have become a topic of increasing debate and public attention in Japan. On the one hand, the visibility of LGBTQ people in Japanese media and society has grown significantly in recent years, and public opinion polls show increasing support for legalizing same-sex marriage, anti-discrimination legislation, and other legal reforms. On the other hand, political divisions within Japan’s current ruling party have prevented many pro-LGBTQ initiatives from being passed at the national level, while opposition from conservative politicians and groups has grown more visible in recent years. This article presents a historical overview of LGBTQ activism in Japan from the 1980s to the present, highlighting key events and debates that have shaped contemporary concerns, and examines some of the major issues for LGBTQ activists in Japan today. Some of the consistent threads that have characterized LGBTQ activism in Japan include debates over cooperation with public authorities versus confrontation; the nature of anti-LGBTQ discrimination and its role within Japanese culture; and the relationship between LGBTQ people and other marginalized groups in Japanese society.