While same-sex marriage has not been legalized in Japan, some firms in the country's wedding jewelry industry have started taking steps to make their products and stores more LGBT-friendly.
Primo Japan Inc. announced earlier this month that it has started to promote a "gender-free" concept in marketing its products by removing male- and female-specific labels from the descriptions of the two wedding ring brands it showcases on its website.
According to Yuki Yamashiro, a senior public relations manager with the company, Primo Japan was prompted to address the issue after a proposal was made by one of its store clerks. In a subsequent in-house survey, about half of its 87 stores said their staff had served LGBT customers.