Articles Culture japan Netflix News Television The Boyfriend

Meet the handsome new bachelors of The Boyfriend season 2

WORDS BY JORDAN ROBLEDO Netflix is returning to the Green Room in The Boyfriend season two — and we finally have a first look at the cast. Featuring the return of season one commentators Megumi, Chiaki Horan, Thelma Aoyama, Durian Lollobrigida, and Yoshimi Tokui, the forthcoming season follows 10 diverse queer men as they travel to the snowy landscape of Hokkaido, Japan, for an “unforgettable” winter getaway. Echoing the format from its inaugural outing, the new batch of bachelors will move into the cosy Green Room to explore their potential…

Read More
Articles Español GAY TIMES Español japan News Spain Spanish Tokyo Court

El Tribunal Superior de Tokio dictamina que la prohibición del matrimonio igualitario en Japón es constitucional

El fallo, dado a conocer el pasado viernes 28 de noviembre y divulgado por medios japoneses, es el primero en este sentido de un alto tribunal nipón. El Tribunal sostuvo que “las actuales disposiciones del derecho civil que no permiten el matrimonio entre personas del mismo sexo siguen siendo razonables en las circunstancias actuales”. La jueza Ayumi Higashi añadió que las leyes sobre el matrimonio igualitario deberían ser “debatidas a fondo” en el Parlamento. En Japón hay ocho tribunales superiores y, hasta ahora, los de Sapporo, Tokio, Nagoya, Osaka y…

Read More
Articles Culture japan Life News Same-sex marriage

Japan expands protections for same-sex couples

The Japanese government has granted more protections to same-sex couples. According to The Japan Times, the government have decided to recognise same-sex couples as being in “de facto marriages” under nine more laws, including the Disaster Condolence Grant law. The recent development comes months after the government determined that 24 laws – including the Domestic Violence Prevention Act, Land and House Lease Act, Child Abuse Prevention Act, and Public Housing Act – would apply to same-sex couples, per asahi.com. Over the last few years, the local LGBTQIA+ community in Japan have been…

Read More
Articles Drag japan Jill Tokuda LGBTQ+ Long Reads News Nightlife Originals Queer nightlife Sex tokyo

Tokyo’s queer club scene is sweaty, messy and surrounding you at all sides

From sweaty techno parties to late-night drag showcases, Kat Joplin explores how the city’s growing LGBTQIA+ district is creating space for trans and non-binary communities. WORDS BY KAT JOPLIN HEADER DESIGN BY ANISA CLEAVER The Shibuya club is small but packed with life. Rotating beams of coloured lights overhead, shivering curtains of blue and green hair on the dance floor. Stick-and-poke and abstract tattoos, heavy eyeliner, lipstick in shades of pink and turquoise. Loud conversations shouted over the techno: Japanese, Portuguese, English, and more. Barely visible in the flashing lights,…

Read More
Articles Explainer India japan LGBTQ+ News Life Nepal News Openly

LGBTQ+ rights in Asia: Progress and setbacks in 2023

There have been gains and setbacks on LGBTQIA+ rights in Asia this year, ranging from the first same-sex marriages in Nepal to South Korea’s decision to uphold a ban on gay relations in the military. From Afghanistan and Malaysia to the Maldives, gay sex remains a crime, according to a 2023 report by the Human Dignity Trust, a rights group. Here is a look at developments in Asia in 2023. India The country’s Supreme Court declined to legalise same-sex marriage in October, dealing a blow to the hopes of LGBTQIA+…

Read More
Articles Coming Out Story Culture J-pop japan LGBTQ+ Music Artist LGBTQ+ News Life Music News Shinjiro Atae

J-Pop star Shinjiro Atae reflects on coming out in a heartfelt letter: “It still hasn’t hit me”

J-Pop star Shinjiro Atae has opened up about his coming out journey in a new statement.  Back in July, the 34-year-old made waves when he came out as gay during a performance in Tokyo, Japan.  “It has taken me a long time to be able to say I am gay,” the singer shared. “I could not even say it to myself. I feared that even if I could accept the truth, the world would never accept me as an artist,” he said during his heartfelt speech (per, The New York Times). …

Read More
Articles Culture japan LGBTQ+ Community LGBTQ+ Singer Music News Pop Pop Music Shinjiro Atae

“I am a gay man”: Japanese pop star Shinjiro Atae comes out in groundbreaking speech

J-Pop singer Shinjiro Atae publicly came out as gay at an event in front of 2,000 fans. The 34-year-old revealed that he was gay in a heartwarming speech during a performance in Tokyo on 26 July. “It has taken me a long time to be able to say I am gay,” the singer shared. “I could not even say it to myself. I feared that even if I could accept the truth, the world would never accept me as an artist. “However, I’ve come to realise it is better, both…

Read More
Articles Gay marriage japan LGBTQ+ News Life Marriage Marriage Equality News Same-sex marriage

‘Major step for equality’: Japan court rules that ban on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional

Japan’s government is facing renewed pressure to legalise same-sex marriage after a court ruled its ban is unconstitutional. Nagoya District Court’s decision marks the second time that a Japanese court has ruled against the country’s stance on same-sex marriage in the last two years. Two others declared that the ban is in line with the post-war constitution, which defines marriage as based on “the mutual consent of both sexes”. Japan is currently the only G7 nation with no legal protection for same-sex unions and the ruling is likely to add…

Read More
Articles Gay marriage japan LGBTQ+ marriage LGBTQ+ News Life Marriage Marriage Equality News Same-sex marriage

Japan’s opposition party submits bill to legalise same-sex marriage

Japan’s leading opposition party has submitted a bill to legally recognise same-sex marriage in a bid to ignite debate on the issue in parliament. The Constitutional Democratic Party (CDP) is proposing that the country’s Civil Code be amended as its current wording is based on the notion that marriage is a union between partners of different sexes. The bill, which was submitted on 6 March, comes just two months ahead of Japan hosting the next G7 summit meeting in May. It is currently the only member of the intergovernmental political…

Read More
Articles japan LGBTQ+ News Life Marriage News Same-sex marriage

Is Japan making progress on same-sex marriage?

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has denied that Japan is operating a system of “unjust discrimination” in banning same-sex marriage, dampening LGBTQ+ campaigners’ hopes for reform. Kishida’s conservative Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) has long resisted calls to allow gay marriages. However, it is facing growing pressure to support LGBTQ+ rights, with a recent survey showing nearly two thirds of people in Japan back same-sex marriage. “I don’t think disallowing same-sex couples to marry is unjust discrimination by the state,” Kishida told a member of the opposition this week, according to news…

Read More
FREE SHIPPING Worldwide On All Orders! #QUEERKSRead our Shipping & Delivery FAQs for details.
+ +