This Asian country is very conservative but pride lives on

[theking]

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10,000 people march, demand progress in Tokyo’s first Pride parade in 4 years

Tokyo on Sunday saw its first full Pride parade in four years, with participants calling for more progress as Japan prepares to host the 49th G7 summit next month.

The parade, which reportedly drew a crowd of 10,000 — including foreigners — took place on the streets of downtown Shibuya, the same site of the last event in 2019.

Participants carrying rainbow flags seized the moment to celebrate small wins for the LGBTQIA+ community. Since 2019, Japanese municipalities allowing same-sex couples to enter into partnership agreements have reportedly increased from 26 to around 300.

However, those agreements have limitations, and Japan as a whole remains the only G7 country to outlaw same-sex marriages and civil unions. Marchers said Tokyo should keep up.