Japan Supreme Court hears argument on surgery requirement for gender change

TOKYO, Sep 28 (NHK) - A lawyer for a transgender individual has told Japan's Supreme Court that the requirement of surgery to remove reproductive functions for gender registry changes is unconstitutional.

Under Japanese law, gender on a family register can be changed if certain conditions are met, such as that the individual does not have reproductive functions.

A person registered as a male but living as a woman asked a family court to allow gender change without such surgery. The individual claimed enforcing it violates the Constitution.

Both the family court and a higher court dismissed the case.

On Wednesday, the Grand Bench of the Supreme Court, consisting of all 15 justices, heard from the lawyer on behalf of the plaintiff, who did not attend the hearing.

The lawyer explained that the plaintiff's reproductive capability has been diminished by years of hormone therapy, so there is no need for surgery to live as a woman.

The lawyer added that surgery entails physical suffering and risk of after-effects, as well as financial burdens. ...continue reading

Sep 28 (ANNnewsCH) - 性別を変更するためには手術が必要とする特例法が憲法に違反するか争われた申し立てについて、最高裁の大法廷は申立人側から意見を聞く弁論を開きました。年内にも改めて憲法判断が示されるとみられます。  ...continue reading