TOKYO: Tokyo will begin recognizing same-sex partnerships from November onward after revising current rules, officials said on Wednesday, becoming the largest city in Japan to do so. Japan is the only one among the Group of Seven countries that do not recognize same-sex unions, and its constitution stipulates that 'marriage shall be only with the mutual consent of both sexes.' But in recent years, local authorities across the country have made moves to recognize same-sex partnerships, although such recognition does not carry the same rights as marriage under the law. The metropolitan government plans to ask legislators to approve revising a local ordinance next month, and will then begin accepting applications for the certificates in October and issuing them in November. The city is considering offering various services currently only available to married couples to those with the partnership certificate, including applying for city-administered apartments.
