Gay rights activists and legal experts said Monday they hope the historic U.S. Supreme Court ruling in favor of same-sex marriage will give impetus to moves in Japan to embrace sexual diversity and go a long way toward initiating calls for legalization of gay marriages here.
"I believe the ruling showed the court's understanding that marriage equality is not something determined at the whim of the state, but guaranteed to every human being universally," said Taiga Ishikawa, an openly gay member of the Toshima Ward Assembly in Tokyo.
Ishikawa said the development supports his belief that the global trend is toward legalizing same-sex marriage.