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Japan Supreme Court declares sterilization requirement for legal gender change unconstitutional

2023 Japan court ruling Protective Enacted Legislation

Japan's Supreme Court ruled that requiring sterilization for legal gender change is unconstitutional, reversing a 2019 verdict. The ruling came after a transgender woman challenged the 2004 law, which mandated that individuals have no reproductive capacity to change their gender. Human Rights Watch called it an important victory for transgender rights in Japan, upholding rights to health, privacy, and bodily autonomy. The decision follows a family court ruling in favor of a transgender man who sought legal gender change without surgery.

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BBC News

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