A ruling Liberal Democratic Party panel on Friday wrapped up discussions over a bill to foster understanding of sexual minorities, paving the way for it to be submitted to parliament next week following weeks of internal debate and disputes over language.
The chairman of the panel, Hiroshi Moriya, was entrusted with the final decision on the bill, which is tantamount to it receiving the party’s approval.
“There have been some revisions but the purpose of the bill hasn’t changed at all,” said LDP lawmaker Tomomi Inada, a keen advocate for the bill. “The fact that there will be a law to protect the parties involved (the LGBT community) as well as the rights of women with concerns is a great step forward.”