美国国家公共电台 NPR--A court in Japan says the ban on same-sex marriage is constitutional

A court in Japan says the ban on same-sex marriage is constitutional

Transcript¹

A Japanese court dealt a blow to LGBTQ rights when it upheld a ban on same-sex marriage. Japan is only member of the Group of Seven major industrial nations that does not recognize same-sex unions.

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

Most advanced democracies have legalized same-sex marriage in recent years. In the G-7 group of leading economies, Canada went first in 2005. The United States followed years later. And today, there is just one holdout - Japan, where an effort to establish same-sex marriage has failed. NPR's Anthony Kuhn reports from Tokyo.

ANTHONY KUHN, BYLINE²: A district court in Osaka dismissed a lawsuit³ brought by three same-sex couples. They claim that by not allowing them to marry, Japan's system discriminates⁴ against them, and that violates the constitution. The court argued that the constitution only guarantees the rights of heterosexual couples. Plaintiff Yuki Kawada told reporters he's not satisfied.

YUKI KAWADA: (Speaking Japanese).

KUHN: "The court hasn't showed us any understanding," he said. "They haven't listened at all to what we've said. We will keep saying that we want to lead normal lives."

The court's ruling is not the end of the story - the plaintiffs plan to appeal - but it's also not the first ruling. Last year, a court in the city of Sapporo ruled that by not recognizing same-sex marriage, Japan's civil law and family registration⁵ law violate the constitution's guarantee of equality before the law. LGBTQ rights advocates hailed that verdict as a milestone⁶.

In Japan, same-sex couples are not entitled to the same benefits as heterosexual couples, such as inheritance rights, joint⁷ custody⁸ of children and tax benefits. There has been some loosening at the grassroots. Many local governments now offer certificates recognizing same-sex unions. The documents aren't legally binding⁹, but couples can use them to access benefits such as public housing. But plaintiff Akiyoshi Tanaka says getting Japan's parliament to legalize same-sex marriage is taking way too long.

AKIYOSHI TANAKA: (Speaking Japanese).

KUHN: "The legislature is so slow that we wanted to get a judicial¹⁰ ruling to support us," he said. "But the verdict gives us no consideration at all. I think they were trying to avoid making a judicial ruling."

The Osaka court added in its verdict that Japan could someday work out a new system to ensure equal rights for same-sex couples. But for now, it concluded, there hasn't been enough public discussion of what that system would look like.

Anthony Kuhn, NPR News, Tokyo.

(SOUNDBITE OF RAN THE MAN'S "TRAVELLERS")

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

3 lawsuit   

n.诉讼，控诉

参考例句：

• They threatened him with a lawsuit.他们以诉讼威逼他。
• He was perpetually involving himself in this long lawsuit.他使自己无休止地卷入这场长时间的诉讼。

4 discriminates   

分别，辨别，区分( discriminate的第三人称单数 )； 歧视，有差别地对待

参考例句：

• The new law discriminates against lower-paid workers. 这条新法律歧视低工资的工人。
• One test governs state legislation that discriminates against interstate commerce. 一个检验约束歧视州际商业的州立法。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

5 registration   

n.登记，注册，挂号

参考例句：

• Marriage without registration is not recognized by law.法律不承认未登记的婚姻。
• What's your registration number?你挂的是几号？

6 milestone   

n.里程碑；划时代的事件

参考例句：

• The film proved to be a milestone in the history of cinema.事实证明这部影片是电影史上的一个里程碑。
• I think this is a very important milestone in the relations between our two countries.我认为这是我们两国关系中一个十分重要的里程碑。

7 joint   

adj.联合的，共同的；n.关节，接合处；v.连接，贴合

参考例句：

• I had a bad fall,which put my shoulder out of joint.我重重地摔了一跤，肩膀脫臼了。
• We wrote a letter in joint names.我们联名写了封信。

8 custody   

n.监护，照看，羁押，拘留

参考例句：

• He spent a week in custody on remand awaiting sentence.等候判决期间他被还押候审一个星期。
• He was taken into custody immediately after the robbery.抢劫案发生后，他立即被押了起来。

9 binding   

有约束力的，有效的，应遵守的

参考例句：

• The contract was not signed and has no binding force. 合同没有签署因而没有约束力。
• Both sides have agreed that the arbitration will be binding. 双方都赞同仲裁具有约束力。

10 judicial   

adj.司法的，法庭的，审判的，明断的，公正的

参考例句：

• He is a man with a judicial mind.他是个公正的人。
• Tom takes judicial proceedings against his father.汤姆对他的父亲正式提出诉讼。