A transgender woman from Southeast Asia, said to be the first transgender person to receive special permission to stay in Japan, expressed hope that the decision will pave the way for improving international LGBT couples' rights in Japan.
The government granted the 58-year-old a one-year long-term resident visa, which can be extended further, on Aug. 14.
"Her long-term relationship with a Japanese man may have been a decisive factor the Justice Ministry took into consideration while reviewing the case," said Miho Kumazawa, a lawyer representing the woman, at a news conference in Tokyo on Monday.