Ibaraki Prefecture was the first prefecture of Japan and in the Kantō region to introduce a partnership registry for same-sex couples, as well as the second in the country to pass LGBT-inclusive nondiscrimination protections.
In January 2019, the Government of Ibaraki Prefecture announced it was considering introducing a partnership system for same-sex couples in April 2019. [1] [2] [3] In March 2019, Governor Kazuhiko Ōigawa expressed his personal support for the introduction of such a scheme. [4] The Ibaraki Prefectural Assembly began examining legislation to this effect in June 2019. [5] The prefecture has offered partnership certificates since July 1, 2019, which made it the first prefecture to do so. [6] [7] As of June 2022, at least 71 partnerships were registered in Ibaraki Prefecture.[ citation needed]
On 18 August 2022, the Ibaraki prefectural government announced they would recognize Saga Prefecture's partnership certificates, becoming the first prefectures to do so. [8] Similar agreements were signed by Ibaraki with Tochigi and Gunma on 20 December, [9] Mie on 31 January 2023, [10] and Toyama.on September 4, 2023. [11] An agreement was signed by the prefecture with the city of Saitama in Saitama Prefecture on October 30, 2023. [12]
In March 2019, legislation banning discrimination against " sexual minorities" was passed in Ibaraki Prefecture. [13] [14]