Japan's same-sex marriage ban is constitutional, says Tokyo court

The ruling bucks a trend set by courts around Japan that had raised hopes for marriage equality.

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The ruling was met with disappointment from plaintiffs and their legal team who had gathered outside the Tokyo courthouse.

Japan is the only G7 country that does not fully recognise same-sex couples or offer them clear legal protection. But it's not an outlier in Asia, where only Taiwan, Thailand and Nepal offer same-sex marriages.

Ayumi Higashi, the judge who delivered the verdict, said laws on same-sex marriage should first be deliberated in parliament, the newspaper Mainichi reported.

Outside the Tokyo courthouse on Friday, the plaintiffs of the lawsuit and their legal team held up signs that read "unjust verdict", local media reported.