Japan - February 2024
Japanese court approves first gender change without surgery
On 7 February, a Japanese court in Okayama approved a transgender man’s request to change his legal gender without first undergoing sterilization. The precedent-setting ruling comes after landmark decision by the Supreme Court in October 2023, which deemed the sterilization requirement unconstitutional. LGBTQIA+ rights advocates celebrated the verdict as an important advancement for transgender rights.
Sources: Japan Times, The Guardian, Kyodo News