What is the situation with LGBTQ+ people in Japan?
This question is aimed exclusively at people who have already lived in Japan, are familiar with the area, or have had (a lot of) contact with the culture.
I know it's different there than in Germany or Austria. It's more conservative, and it's not talked about as much, but I wanted to know if it's really such a big taboo, or if you can meet queer people there? How strict is the government (really) and what's it like traveling? It's generally relatively safe. I've heard that physical attacks are relatively rare.
Thank you for your answers and any experiences you may have. 🙂
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Since I have no personal reference to LGBTQ+ myself, please understand my answer as a certain reservation, but I am referring to the things that I am sure about and which are based on the experience of 8 years spent in Japan in different contexts.
Yes, you can meet across people, who are often organized, you don’t have to expect systematic political persecution and can feel safe, in compliance with usual precautions. In the end, the key is also in a conservative country like Japan not to hang such things on the big bell, then the majority of the population just doesn’t care how you live your life, even if it doesn’t match their values.
At the same time, however, you do not have to expect support, even politically. First of all, once again, the intention to recognise partnerships was taken up by court. I dare the prophecy “it’s not happening”, even in 10 years. If you want to make yourself a picture of the political discourse, I recommend you on the usual English-speaking portals of the major Japanese newspapers (for example http://mainichi.jp/english/) to search for LGBTQ+. You will find that there is a continuous loop is out of “politician skin unacceptable set, there is a shout, politicians give a fake excuse, but there are no consequences and everything remains exactly as it was until the next time”.
What do you mean? Common hotel rooms should be (as I have heard) no longer a problem, but here too: just everything is not so attached to the big bell. Use of onsen and toilets as an obvious transgender, on the other hand, would be me, which will certainly cause trouble.