Gay marriage challenges Japan’s view of love and law

“Why don’t we even have the simple choice of whether or not to get married?” asks Yoko Ogawa, who has been in a partnership with a woman for 25 years.

Her view is that the law must be changed so that same-sex marriages are legally accepted.

A campaign is underway to make that possible.

But opponents say that this goes against an important clause in Japan’s constitution, which they claim means marriage must be between a man and a woman.

You can read more about the debate in this week’s Japan Story blog.

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Japan Story’s blog is written by former BBC Tokyo Correspondent Duncan Bartlett. Each week he analyses how Japan’s story is being told to the world through the international media.