Japanese pop star Shijiro Atae said he is gay in an emotional announcement at a fan event that was warmly welcomed in a country where the government does not recognize LGBTQ equality.
“What I’m going to tell you now may not be something you expect or hope to hear. Perhaps some of you may need time to understand,” Atae told fans at the event in Tokyo on Wednesday.
The political party that has governed Japan for most of its postwar history is known for its conservatism and many lawmakers in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party oppose equal rights. Activists have increased their efforts to achieve an anti-discrimination law, but parliament in June passed a significantly weaker alternative that promotes awareness of sexual minorities without providing legal protections.
LGBTQ+ activists and supporters welcomed Atae’s announcement as a big encouragement for the community in Japan. One day on a foreign trip, he saw men hugging and kissing in public and was shocked, but none of the people around them made an issue out of it.
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