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Kyodo

A tweet by Chinese consul general in Osaka Xue Jian earlier this week in which he described transgender people as being “deformed” has stirred controversy, with some commenting the post is discriminatory against sexual minorities.
Xue tweeted in Japanese on Wednesday, “I don’t mean to discriminate against sexual minorities, but tampering with gender is a deformity, not the evolution of human civilisation.”
The consul general also said “the absolute minority is effectively forcing us – the absolute majority” and claimed it goes against the basics of majority-rules democracy that the West has long advocated.
7 years after Japanese student’s death, has anything changed for LGBT community?
China has cracked down on sexual minorities in recent years, viewing support for the LGBT community as part of Western values and apparently fearing that their movement could challenge Communist Party rule.
The Beijing LGBT Centre, an advocacy group for sexual minorities, was shut down in May “due to uncontrollable pressure” amid stricter control by the government of Chinese President Xi Jinping.
In Tokyo, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno declined at a press conference on Thursday to comment on Xue’s tweet, but said the government will work toward realising a society where diversity is respected and people value each other’s human rights and dignity.


Xue’s social media post came as Japan on Friday passed a much-contested bill to promote understanding of the LGBT community amid criticism that the legislation provides no human rights guarantees and may tacitly encourage some forms of discrimination.
Japan, the only Group of Seven (G7) nation with no legal protection for same-sex unions, had originally pledged to pass the law before hosting the G7 leaders’ summit from May 19 to 21.
However, wrangling over the bill and its wording meant it was only submitted to parliament for consideration the day before the summit began.
It passed the more powerful lower house on Tuesday even after some lawmakers in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party broke rank with party directives and either were absent altogether or left while the voting took place.
Will the rest of Asia follow Hong Kong’s lead on transgender rights?
The initial draft stipulated that discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity should “not be tolerated” but was changed to “there should be no unfair discrimination”, wording critics say tacitly allows bigotry.
“Though the original bill was not especially meaningful, I thought it was better than nothing,” said Takeharu Kato, a lawyer and member of “Marriage for all Japan,” an activist group, before the bill’s passage.
“But now I’ve begun to think it might be better to have nothing at all.”
Opinion polls show a vast majority of Japanese approve of same-sex marriage. Roughly 70 per cent of the country now allows same-sex partnership agreements, although the partnership rights fall short of those guaranteed by marriage.
Additional reporting by Reuters


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Japan

Chinese diplomat’s anti-LGBT tweet causes stir in Japan

Japan is the only G7 nation with no legal protection for same-sex unions. Photo: AFP

Hong Kong’s landmark transgender ruling: will the rest of Asia now follow suit?

LGBTQ people take part in the Taipei Pride parade in 2019. A Taiwan court has cited a recent Hong Kong ruling on transgender people’s rights in regards to reassignment surgery. Photo: EPA-EFE

Henry Edward Tse, one of two litigants in the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal’s ruling on transgender rights, holds a decoration with the Chinese characters for ‘victory’ on February 6. Photo: SCMP/Edmond So

LGBTQ people take part in the Taipei Pride parade in 2019. A Taiwan court has cited a recent Hong Kong ruling on transgender people’s rights regarding reassignment surgery. Photo: EPA-EFE

Japanese protesters call for laws to protect LGBTQ people’s rights at an event in Tokyo this month. Japan is the only member of the G7 not to legally recognise same-sex couples. Photo: AP

7 years after Japanese student’s death, has anything changed for LGBT community?

Alienating attitudes towards LGBT people persist in Japan, despite younger generations embracing diversity. Photo: Shutterstock

International television shows like Glee reportedly helped normalise LGBT characters in Japan. Photo: Patrick Ecclesine/ Courtesy Fox Broadcasting Co./MCT Handout

A Japanese lesbian couple hold a certification of ‘partnership’ issued by Tokyo’s Shibuya ward office in November 2015. Photo: AFP

Participants pose at Tokyo Rainbow Pride in 2017. Photo: AP

LGBT people take part in the Tokyo Rainbow Pride parade in 2015. Photo: Xinhua

Japan’s LGBT community mostly stays in hiding at work, study finds

A Rainbow Pride parade in Tokyo. In Japan, just 17.6 per cent of the LGBT community said they were open about their sexuality at work. Photo: AP

Japan’s Kishida under fire for ‘poor’ hiring decisions after aide makes anti-LGBT remarks

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida (L) with executive secretary Masayoshi Arai in April. Arai has been sacked for anti-LGBT remarks, the latest in a string of high-profile government scandals. Photo: EPA-EFE

A Pride parade in Tokyo in 2017. Photo: AP

News

Asia

East Asia

Chinese consul general in Osaka Xue Jian said ‘tampering with gender is a deformity, not the evolution of human civilisation’
His post came days after Japan passed a much-contested bill to promote understanding of the LGBT community


Chinese consul general in Osaka Xue Jian said ‘tampering with gender is a deformity, not the evolution of human civilisation’.


LGBTQ

Social media

LGBTQ in China

Human rights

Chinese diplomat’s anti-LGBT tweet causes stir in Japan

Chinese consul general in Osaka Xue Jian said ‘tampering with gender is a deformity, not the evolution of human civilisation’ His post came days after Japan passed a much-contested bill to promote understanding of the LGBT community

Chinese consul general in Osaka Xue Jian said ‘tampering with gender is a deformity, not the evolution of human civilisation’

His post came days after Japan passed a much-contested bill to promote understanding of the LGBT community