Japan is the only G7 country that has not yet introduced marriage equality. Although a majority would be in favour, the government opposes it.
A court ruling could change the situation now. The last of the five verdicts was handed down on Thursday before a district court in Fukuoka in the southwest of the country. The judges found that the lack of equality amounted to an "unconstitutional situation" This raises the hopes of activists who are fighting for marriage equality in Japan. The majority of the Japanese population supports marriage equality, according to polls.