As Japan celebrates 78 years this Saturday since the enforcement of its Constitution — still untouched to this day — shifting societal norms are increasingly posing a challenge to existing legal frameworks.

One issue in particular has received scrutiny due to the emergence of steady signs of change within the judiciary: the constitutional interpretation of marriage.

In a country often seen as a laggard on the rights of sexual minorities, five high courts all ruled against the ongoing ban on same-sex marriage just in the last year — a stunning reversal compared to the local courts.