Tokyo's Setagaya Ward to Recognize Same-Sex Couples

Tokyo, July 29 (Jiji Press)--Authorities in Tokyo's Setagaya Ward will begin to issue official documents to same-sex couples in November, following a similar move in the Japanese capital's Shibuya Ward, it was learned Wednesday. The Setagaya government plans to accept fixed-form declarations of such a relationship and issue copies of the documents. The plan was unveiled at a committee meeting of the ward's assembly on the day. The system will "hopefully help raise public awareness of the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) issue," said a Setagaya official at the section in charge of human rights and gender equality issues. In Shibuya in March, an ordinance was enacted to issue certificates for same-sex couples. END