The Metropolitan Government of Tokyo passed a bill prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity on October 5 — moved by the coming of the Summer Olympics to the capital in 2020. Human Rights Watch worked with the government to comply with the Olympic Charter’s human rights provisions. The International Olympic Committee in 2014 adopted a policy of only holding games in cities that ban such discrimination.
The Japanese government in recent years has committed to outreach efforts on LGBTQ issues in schools and taking positive steps to protect and recognize queer people, but, like the US, has no federal LGBTQ rights law. Tokyo’s action may spur the national government to enact one.
