Japan Permits Foreign Nationals to Enter Same-Sex Marriages Abroad

The Japan Times Reports that

[t]he Justice Ministry plans to clear the path for Japanese nationals overseas to marry same-sex partners who are citizens of countries where such unions are legal, ministry sources said Thursday.

Japanese nationals seeking to marry abroad require a certificate that can be obtained by "submitting documents that include their name, birth data, sex and nationality, and similar information about their marriage partner."

The change appears to be that now same-sex partners will be able to obtain these certificates; in the past, the Japanese government refused to issue them. Based on the text of the article, however, it is still unclear whether the Japanese government will honor those foreign marriages with the same rights and responsibilities as heterosexual marriages.

Thanks to Towleroad for the story. Other coverage includes The Daily Dish and Breitbart.