LDP Leadership Cautious about Early LGBT Bill Discussions

Tokyo, Feb. 26 (Jiji Press)--The leadership of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party is reluctant to start discussions anytime soon on a proposed law designed to promote understanding of LGBT people.

The law is aimed at requiring the government to craft a basic plan to promote public understanding of LGBT people.

In 2011, a suprapartisan group of lawmakers drafted a bill for the law, but it was put on hold after conservative LDP lawmakers objected to a clause of the bill that says discrimination against LGBT people would not be tolerated.

Those LDP lawmakers complained that the wording could lead to an increase in anti-discrimination lawsuits.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in early February called on the LDP leadership to promote discussions on the law after coming under fire over a secretary to him who made discriminatory remarks against LGBT people.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]