LGBT+ Couples Entitled to Victim Compensation, Japanese Authority Declares
Authorities in the Japanese Prefectures of Sapporo and Osaka have made the move to include same-sex couples in eligibility for victim support compensation. The fund, which was introduced into the Prefectures earlier this year, provides victims and their families financial support, such as paying out up to $2800 to families in the event of mortality arising from a crime and up to $900 to victims of attacks.
In addition, Japan News 24 reports, the fund also helps fund recovery for victims and their families, such as covering the costs of therapy.
Same-sex marriages are not recognised in Japan, and couples find themselves disqualified from obtaining couples social benefits as a result. However, Sapporo and Osaka have opted to recognise same-sex couples as valid recipients of victim support compensation, relatively unusual for the country. Since the decision, almost 400 same-sex couples have identified themselves to Authorities, entitling them to claim.
Sapporo has gone once step further, entitling same-sex couples to obtain other benefits that heterosexual couples enjoy, if they are able to provide notarisation or other evidence of the existence of their union.
This comes folllowing a man in Nagoya taking the Authorities to court in June, after he was refused victim support compensation when his partner was killed. The Court ruled against him, citing how same-sex couples were not properly accepted in Japan, and so activists hope this recent u-turn puts pressure on other Prefectures to follow suit.
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