13 Gay Couples Sue Japanese Government for Marriage Equality on Valentine’s Day

13 gay couples in Japan have joined together for a Valentine’s Day lawsuit, reports the BBC.

The couples comprise of 26 plaintiffs, 16 men and 10 women, from the ages of 20 to 50, and from all across Japan. They’ve filled lawsuits against the Japanese government claiming damages for the lack of marriage equality. They were filed in four district courts: Tokyo, Sapporo in the northern island of Hokkaido, and Nagoya and Osaka in central Japan.

The couples are claiming the lack of recognition for same-sex couples is unconstitutional and discriminatory.

“A country that does not recognise a gay marriage as legal amounts to branding same-sex couples as a ‘union not approved by society,” said Takako Uesug, one of the co-leads in the legal team.

 “We would like to restore the dignity of people who love their partners of the same gender.”

A recent survey of 60,000 Japanese people aged 20 to 59 found an overwhelming 78 percentsupported equal marriage in the country.

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