Regarding the "Freedom of Marriage for All" Tokyo Second Lawsuit, the Tokyo Bar Association has announced the date for the third oral argument hearing in the appeals court and the hearing report session.

The "Freedom to Marry for All" Tokyo Second Lawsuit is currently undergoing appeal hearings at the Tokyo High Court.

The third oral argument hearing will be held on May 20, 2025. The appellants (plaintiffs in the first instance), Kei, Rie Fukuda, and Miyuki Fujii, and their attorneys are scheduled to make their final statements before the verdict is announced.

The appeal hearing will also conclude at this hearing, and a verdict date is expected to be set.

The Tokyo 2nd appeal hearing, which will be the last of the "Freedom of Marriage for All" lawsuits to have an appeal decision, is finally coming to an end, and this will be the last opportunity to directly observe the arguments being made in court. The appeal decisions made by the Sapporo, Tokyo, Fukuoka, Osaka, and Nagoya high courts so far have all found the law unconstitutional. We believe that the Tokyo 2nd lawsuit will also find that the current law, which legally prohibits same-sex couples from using the marriage system, is unconstitutional.

Your support in various forms, such as attending court hearings, participating in and viewing court report sessions, and posting on social media, will help us. We appreciate your continued support.

[Third oral argument hearing in the appeal court]

Date and time: May 20, 2025 (Tuesday) from 15:00

Venue: Tokyo High Court, Courtroom 101

Case number: Reiwa 6 (Ne) No. 1861

Case name: "Freedom to Marry for All" lawsuit appeal case

*Lottery for spectators

Since it is expected that there will be a large number of people wishing to observe the hearing, those who wish to observe the hearing should obtain a lottery ticket at the court's No. 2 issuing office by 2:40 p.m. on the day of the hearing. For details , please check the following URL. .

https://www.courts.go.jp/app/botyokoufu_jp/detail?id=18620&list_id=6

[Date Reporting Session]

Date and time: May 20, 2025 (Tuesday) from around 16:30 (scheduled)

Location: Bar Association Building, 5th floor, Meeting Room 508

1-1-3 Kasumigaseki, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo

(Direct from the B1-b exit of Kasumigaseki Station on the Tokyo Metro Marunouchi Line)

https://maps.app.goo.gl/xG9GqoqffygLyRDR9

Live streaming available online on the Youtube Malifaux channel

URL: https://www.youtube.com/live/onAhgUbjZSM

(Note)

・The start times shown are merely tentative and may change depending on the situation on the day. In addition, the live streaming of the deadline report session may not be possible or the video and audio may be disrupted due to communication conditions or equipment problems. We ask for your understanding in advance.

・At the meeting venue, the organizers and media will be taking photographs, and the general public will also be attending. If you do not wish to be photographed or appear in the footage, please sit in the designated no-photography area at the venue.

・To media organizations and general attendees, please be careful when taking photos to avoid capturing people sitting in areas where photography is prohibited. Please refrain from pointing cameras or smartphones at areas where photography is prohibited, taking photos, and posting those photos on social media or the internet.

<X (old Twitter)>

The latest information on the "Freedom to Marry for All" Tokyo lawsuit (first and second phases) is being posted on the Tokyo Bar Association's X account (@KejisubeTokyo) as it becomes available.

We would also like to ask you to please support the National Kejisube Plaintiffs Group (@kejisubegenkoku), which is a direct message from plaintiffs across the country in the "Freedom to Marry for All" lawsuit.

Tokyo Defense Team’s X account: https://twitter.com/KejisubeTokyo

Kejisube Plaintiffs' X Account ⇒ https://twitter.com/kejisubegenkoku

＜CALL4＞

Once the documents to be submitted to the court are prepared, they will be made public as soon as possible on the case site of the public litigation support site CALL4.

CALL4 case site ⇒ https://www.call4.jp/info.php?type=items&id=I0000031

<Donations>

Support and donations to the nationwide "Freedom to Marry for All" litigation legal team are also being accepted through the "Support Us" section on the CALL4 case site.

⇒ https://www.call4.jp/pay_regist.php?type=pay&items_id=I0000031

sorry.

"Freedom to marry for all" - Aichi litigation defense team reports on the Nagoya High Court ruling and appeal.

[Judgment report]

The High Court has ruled the law unconstitutional for the fourth time! Violation of Article 14, Paragraph 1 and Article 24, Paragraph 2 of the Constitution

In the Aichi lawsuit "Freedom of Marriage for All," the Nagoya High Court (Civil Division 3, Presiding Judge Katada Nobuhiro) handed down its appellate court decision on March 7, 2025.

This ruling found that the provisions of the current Civil Code and Family Registration Act, which distinguish same-sex couples from utilizing the legal marriage system, are unconstitutional, violating Article 14, paragraph 1 and Article 24, paragraph 2 of the Constitution.

<Outline of the verdict date>

Date and time: March 7, 2025, 11:00 a.m.

Venue: Nagoya High Court, Courtroom No. 1

Attendance: 1 appellant (plaintiff), an attorney for the appellant, and an attorney for the appellee.

<Summary of the ruling>

The judgment concluded that the provisions in question, which distinguish same-sex couples from utilizing the legal marriage system, are legally discriminatory treatment based on sexual orientation that lacks a reasonable basis in light of the demands of individual dignity, and therefore violate Article 14, paragraph 1 of the Constitution. It also concluded that the provisions in question exceed the scope of legislative discretion given to the Diet, and therefore violate Article 24, paragraph 2 of the Constitution.

On the other hand, the court ruled that the Diet's failure to take legislative measures to allow same-sex couples to utilize the legal marriage system was not illegal under the State Compensation Act, and dismissed the appellants' claim for state compensation.

・Click here for the summary of this ruling

https://www.call4.jp/file/pdf/202503/3d1319cb8501fa1cfddafdf8a56e806b.pdf

Read the full ruling here

https://www.call4.jp/file/pdf/202503/24ff475399f044eefa21d45b39a80f42.pdf

<Significance of this ruling>

This ruling is the fourth in the series of "Freedom of Marriage for All" lawsuits, following the Fukuoka High Court ruling of December 13th of last year, and follows on from the Fukuoka High Court ruling, it clearly found the provisions in question unconstitutional. This ruling is significant in that it determined that the essence of marriage is an intrinsic value linked to the dignity of the individual, carefully fact-finding the disadvantages of not being able to use the legal marriage system, and concluded that "the distinction made by the provisions in question, which means that same-sex couples cannot use the legal marriage system, is a legal discrimination based on sexual orientation that lacks a reasonable basis in light of the demands of individual dignity, and must be said to violate Article 14, paragraph 1 of the Constitution, and also violates Article 24, paragraph 2 of the Constitution as it exceeds the scope of the legislative discretion given to the Diet."

Furthermore, after providing a detailed rebuttal to the arguments against legalizing same-sex marriage, the court stated that it is difficult to imagine any specific disadvantages that the public would suffer, and ruled that it cannot be said that a massive amount of legislative work would be required to amend the law. This is also significant as a stern criticism of the Diet, which has been slow to legalize same-sex marriage.

<Press conference/reporting session>

In the afternoon, a press conference and briefing session was held to report on the significance of the ruling, comments on the ruling, and the state of the courtroom.

Archives are also available. (Subtitles and sign language interpretation available)

・Press conference archive

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rjmMXxgB77o

・Report Archive

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3f8AD22Avw

[Appeal Report] To the Supreme Court

Although the legal team highly appreciates the meaningful ruling of the Nagoya High Court, the following issues remain with this ruling. In order to overcome these issues, the legal team in the Aichi lawsuit submitted a "Notice of Appeal and Petition for Acceptance of Final Appeal" on March 19th.

This will move the case to the Supreme Court for review.

(This document is addressed to the Supreme Court, but the Nagoya High Court is the reception desk.)

There are two points that require further progress towards the Supreme Court's decision:

① The High Court ruling did not explicitly state whether it violated Article 24, Paragraph 1 of the Constitution

② The High Court ruling did not acknowledge any violation of the State Compensation Act

Regarding point ② in particular, the Nagoya High Court ruling determined that since there is no uniformity in the decisions deeming the provisions in question unconstitutional and the Supreme Court has not yet issued a ruling, the legislative failure to enact legislation cannot yet be considered illegal under the State Compensation Act.

However, since nine unconstitutional rulings have been issued by district and high courts, it is clear that the legislature is in a position to immediately enact legislation. The fact that the legislature continues to "keep a close eye" on the issue and continues to neglect to enact concrete legislation means that it is unjust to deny the illegality of the issue under the State Compensation Act.

At the Supreme Court, we will take on the case together with legal teams from other regions, with the goal of winning a unified Supreme Court ruling on the violations of Article 24, Paragraphs 1 and 2 and Article 14, Paragraph 1 of the Constitution, and a ruling that the Diet's inaction on legislation was an unjustifiable omission and illegal.

Last year, the Hokkaido Bar Association created an explanatory video on how the proceedings proceed after the appeal to the Supreme Court and how to support the case. Please take a look at this video as well.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBiF58n8mKs&list=PLAIGLlWV4D0wdp9qk5BrQSEX_h7qPJIsT

In order to achieve a legislative solution without waiting for the Supreme Court's decision, we will continue to work together with the Aichi plaintiffs and their supporters on activities both inside and outside of litigation.

We appreciate your continued support.

The Kansai lawsuit will finally be decided by the Osaka High Court on March 25th.

Stay tuned for the final High Court ruling in the first lawsuit!

The verdict was delivered:

Date and time: March 25, 2025 (Tuesday) 11:00

Venue: Courtroom 202, Main Building, Osaka District and High Court

is!

[Details of the schedule on the day]

10:00-10:15 Distribution of spectator lottery tickets and lottery drawing

Admission to the hearing is expected to be by lottery.

Those who wish to observe the hearing should pick up their lottery ticket in front of the main entrance of the Osaka High Court main building by 10:15 a.m. Please note that if you do not receive your ticket, you will not be able to take part in the lottery and will not be able to observe the hearing.

Please check the following information for information regarding the distribution of lottery tickets.

・Osaka High Court: Spectator Ticket Issuance Information https://www.courts.go.jp/osaka-h/kengaku/index.html

・Kansai Lawyers Group X https://x.com/kejisubeKansai

If you do not win the lottery, you can wait near the courthouse until the scheduled flag-off from around 11:30. If you do not win the lottery, you will not be able to enter the courtroom, but you will be able to enter the courthouse building. You will also be able to use the Osaka Bar Association's second floor hall from 11:00.

Around 10:30, the plaintiffs and their lawyers entered the courtroom through the main gate.

The plaintiffs and their lawyers carried banners and entered the courtroom through the main gate on the south side of the courthouse.

11:00 Judgment @ Osaka High Court, Courtroom 202

In court, the judge will read out a summary of the ruling (a summary of the main points).

Please remain silent until the judge leaves the room.

Around 11:30 Flag raising

Following the verdict, the defense team will display a flag informing viewers of the content of the verdict and will answer questions from the media on the south side of the sidewalk (planned location) across the roadway in front of the south main gate of the courthouse.

Many media outlets will be filming this event, so if you want to see the flag raising but don't want to be filmed, please take measures such as watching from the camera's blind spot or hiding your face with a hat or mask.

Those watching are welcome to take photos of the members raising the flag. However, please be careful not to include supporters in your photos, as there will likely be many people watching the flag raising.

The flag raising will be broadcast live in real time.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8JT7LnhG1E

If you can't see it in person, you can watch it here.

12:00 ~ Letter and message board event

In the hall on the second floor of the Osaka Bar Association Building, we will be holding an event to write letters to members of parliament and a message board event to support the lawsuit.

If you didn't win the lottery or have already seen the flag raising event, please come along at any time and let's write letters together.

You can bring your own lunch!

14:00 Press Conference

A press conference for the media will be held in the hall on the second floor of the Osaka Bar Association Building.

Supporters are also welcome to attend. Please sit at the back of the venue as the front seats are for journalists.

Media reception is scheduled to begin at 1:00 p.m., and camera setup will begin at 1:30 p.m.

The press conference will be broadcast live.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9QZlG7wu5M

*Please note that depending on the reception conditions at the venue, the broadcast may be interrupted or may not be possible.

The broadcast will be subtitled. Sign language interpretation and subtitles will be available at the venue.

In addition to a report on the verdict from the defense team, we will also hear comments from the four plaintiffs (appellants).

During this time, we will be speaking to the media, and questions from the media will be given priority during the Q&A session. Questions from people outside the media will be answered at the verdict report session, which will be held after the press conference at around 3 p.m. If you have any questions, please post them in the chat during the report session.

15:00 Judgment report session

After the press conference, there will be a break followed by a debriefing session.

We will be broadcasting a live report on the Osaka High Court ruling to supporters.

Please feel free to send us your questions or comments in the chat section.

Moderator: Maki Muraki (CEO of Certified NPO Nijiiro Diversity)

Speakers: Kansai Bar Association, Kansai Lawsuit Plaintiffs (Appellants), and Supporters

The verdict report will be broadcast live.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VCZwIeOtucY

*Please note that depending on the reception conditions at the venue, the broadcast may be interrupted or may not be possible.

Sign language interpretation and subtitles will be provided both online and at the venue.

The event is scheduled to finish around 4 p.m. You can enter and leave at any time.

[Notable rulings and news highlights]

The Osaka District Court was the only court to rule the law constitutional at the district court level, but subsequent district courts, as well as the Sapporo High Court, Tokyo High Court, Fukuoka High Court, and Nagoya High Court, have all ruled the law unconstitutional.

Please watch the video below for a summary of the Fukuoka High Court ruling.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhnGmNxFL_U

For more information about the Nagoya High Court ruling, please watch the video below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H3f8AD22Avw

Please see below for the report of the Osaka District Court ruling.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JoqJWAPJ4k

[Latest update from the legal team]

Kansai Bar Association's X (formerly Twitter) will be posting regular updates regarding the lawsuit.

https://x.com/kejisubeKansai

In addition, the verdict and the defense statement will be posted on call4 on the same day.

https://www.call4.jp/info.php?id=i0000031&type=items

"Freedom of Marriage for All" Aichi Lawsuit: Notice of Judgment Date at Nagoya High Court

The Aichi lawsuit will finally reach a ruling at the Nagoya High Court on March 7th.

Date and time: Friday , March 7 , 2025 , 11:00

Venue: Nagoya High Court, Courtroom No. 1

1. Details of the time schedule for the day

[9:40am: Supporters gather for tour]

Location: Marunouchi Station, Exit 1

This is a public hearing tour organized by supporters.

Volunteers who wish to observe the trial gather together, and under the guidance of a facilitator, they spend a short time interacting with each other before heading to the court together. There are always first-time participants. Please feel free to join us.

No prior registration is required, so please come directly on the day.

Please note that attendance is determined by lottery, so if you participate in the tour but do not win the lottery, you will not be able to attend the hearing.

Of course, you can also go directly to the court by yourself at the time when the lottery tickets are distributed without joining a tour.

[From around 10:00 to 10:25: Lottery tickets will be distributed, then the lottery will be held]

Those who wish to attend the hearing should follow the court's instructions and pick up their lottery tickets on the north side of the courthouse by 10:25 a.m.

Please note that if you do not receive your numbered ticket by this time, you will not be able to take part in the lottery and will not be able to attend the hearing.

If you are selected in the lottery, please undergo baggage inspection at the south entrance of the courthouse and enter Courtroom 1 on the first floor.

The courtroom is immediately on the left after passing through security.

If you have scissors or a cutter in your carry-on luggage, you will need to check it in. If you normally carry stationery or makeup in your bag, it will be easier if you remove them from your luggage on the day.

If you do not win the lottery, you can wait near the courthouse until the flag is raised at 11:40.

[11:00 Judgment date]

In court, the judge will read out a summary of the ruling (a summary of the main points).

Please watch quietly without expressing your opinion or clapping until the judge has left the room.

[11:40 Flag raising]

Flags will be set up outside the courthouse on the southwest sidewalk.

(Exit the courthouse through the security checkpoint and it is on your right)

A flag will be displayed announcing the contents of the verdict, and the defense team will briefly respond to media interviews to report the contents of the verdict.

Many media outlets will be filming the proceedings, so if you want to see the flag raising but don't want your face to be in the footage, we ask that you take measures such as hiding your face with a mask or watching from a location that is out of the camera's blind spot.

With the cooperation of Malifaux, we will be broadcasting the event in real time.

https://www.youtube.com/live/DNQITCOkzIc

If you're far away, please watch over us from here.

[14:00 Press Conference]

A press conference will be held for the media in the International Center Annex Hall.

Supporters are also welcome to participate.

Doors open to the media at 1pm and to the public at 1.30pm.

(Opening times have been staggered to facilitate the use of filming equipment and to ensure that no-filming areas are in place.)

The press conference will also be broadcast live, with sign language interpretation and subtitles.

　https://www.youtube.com/live/rjmMXxgB77o

If you require transcription at the venue, UD Talk is available.

We will also hear comments from the plaintiffs in the Kansai lawsuit, whose verdict will be heard at the Osaka High Court on March 35th, and from the plaintiffs in the Tokyo Second Lawsuit, who are currently fighting an appeal at the Tokyo High Court.

[15:30 Judgment report meeting]

After the press conference, there will be a break followed by a debriefing session.

We will provide supporters with a more frank explanation of the verdict and our thoughts on the matter.

The press conference will also be broadcast live, with sign language interpretation and subtitles.

https://www.youtube.com/live/H3f8AD22Avw

If you require transcription at the venue, UD Talk is available.

The event is scheduled to finish around 4:30 p.m.

It is OK to enter and leave at any time.

2. Important points of judgments and news

One month before the verdict, the defense team held an online review course to help people understand the news and key points of the verdict.

We explained what points you should pay attention to in news about court decisions, and what to do if you want to read the court decision.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NhnGmNxFL_U&t=3s

There is an archive, so please take a look.

3. Latest information from the defense team

We will be posting updates regarding the Aichi lawsuit on Twitter (formerly Twitter).

https://x.com/mfajaichibengo

This is a message from the Tokyo Bar Association.

We are pleased to report that the second oral argument hearing in the appeal hearing for the "Freedom to Marry for All" Tokyo Second Litigation has been held.

Date and time: January 28, 2025, 15:00 to 15:30

Venue: Tokyo High Court, Courtroom 101

Judges: Presiding Judge Minoru Masuda, Judge Takanori Koumi, and Judge Tetsuya Fujikura (24th Civil Division)

Attendance: 7 appellants, 21 representatives of the appellee and others, 4 representatives of the appellee

[Contents of the first oral argument hearing]

1. Update of arguments

Because one judge was replaced, a procedure known as "update of arguments" was carried out at the beginning of the trial.

2. Submission of documents and statements (URL links for each document are here )

(1) Appellants

The appellants submitted several briefs to the Court prior to this hearing, including, in particular:

・Second Preparatory Brief for the Appeal (Regarding the Arikae, Taniguchi and Kato Opinion)

・Appeal Trial Third Preparatory Brief (Disadvantages in the Case of Partnerships)

- Appeal Trial No. 4 Preparatory Brief (Regarding the Appellant's Arguments)

- Appeal Trial Preparatory Brief No. 5 (Article 24 Paragraph 1, Article 24 Paragraph 2, Article 14 Paragraph 1, and Sub-Argument 2)

- Appeal Trial No. 6 Preparatory Brief (regarding illegality under the State Compensation Act)

(2) Appellee (country)

·none

 3. Statement of opinion

 (1) Appellant Ms. Hatogai’s statement of opinion ( Click here for the full summary of the statement of opinion)

 Ms. Hatogai has been spending 18 years with Ms. Kawachi as her life partner. The two have lived together, cooperating with each other, as if they were legally married to a married couple of opposite sexes. They have done everything they can to protect themselves, such as getting a notarized document, but they still cannot overcome the enormous wall of "marriage," and they feel "empty because we are not in the same situation as a married couple of opposite sexes."

 She also explained that whenever the system was changed, she had to go through the process of changing her relationship status on her resident registration to "cohabitant," "related person," etc., and after going through the process four times over a six-year period, she was finally able to change it to "wife (unreported)." However, the use of "wife (unreported)" is merely a voluntary initiative by the local government and has no legal effect, and she appealed to the court, saying, "In the end, the national law must change," and "We sincerely hope that one day we will be able to change our relationship status on our resident registration to 'spouse'."

Finally, they expressed their frustration at the Tokyo Second District Court's ruling, which placed too much importance on "tradition" and "social acceptance" and failed to accept their existence, and expressed their hopes for the court's decision, saying, "We trust that the court will accept our reality and, with clear logic, rule that our law is unconstitutional."

 (2) Statement of opinion by the appellant, Ms. Kawachi ( Click here for the full summary of the statement of opinion)

 Kawachi said that four years have passed since the lawsuit was filed, and that the time that has passed without their marriage being recognized has been a great sacrifice. As she feels that her parents are getting old, there is only a short time left for them to remember her. "I wanted my parents, especially my father, who suffered from his own prejudice, to join me in welcoming a society in which same-sex marriage is now possible. I wanted them to see us get married in full force, with both of our parents present."

 She then appealed to the judge, saying, "Not only the parties involved, but their loved ones are also continuing to wait for the marriage to take place."

 She also said, "The institution of marriage not only has legal effect, but is in itself a symbol of happiness," and "the views on marriage and ethics that are rooted in society should not be exclusive to heterosexuals." She also said, "If when the Constitution was enacted there was no assumption that marriage would be between people of the same sex, then now is the time to update that interpretation."

 Finally, they quietly but firmly appealed to the court, "Please look at us in front of you and make your decision. There are many people in the audience and behind them in the same situation, waiting for marriage equality."

(3) Statement of opinion by Attorney Sawasaki ( Click here for the full summary of the statement of opinion)

Attorney Sawazaki stated that, following the three high court rulings in Sapporo, Tokyo, and Fukuoka, a more proactive ruling should be made in this lawsuit as well, and spoke about three remaining issues, highlighting the key points that need to be addressed.

Specifically, we argued that the court should make a clear ruling that a separate system, even if it had the same content, would not be permitted under the Constitution and that nothing other than its inclusion in the current legal marriage system would be permitted, that the violation of Article 24, paragraph 1 of the Constitution should be clearly recognized, and that since there are sufficient circumstances to recognize the illegality under the State Compensation Act, the illegality under the State Compensation Act should be recognized and compensation should be ordered.

4. Communication on deadline

After the statements of opinion were made, the future course of action was confirmed.

The appellants will submit supplementary written arguments, and the appellee (the government) will submit a written rebuttal, both by May 8th.

5. Future plans

The court has set the following dates for future proceedings:

Tuesday, May 20, 2025 15:00

3rd oral argument date (open to the public, open to the public)

@Tokyo High Court, Courtroom 101

6. Date report meeting

[Online deadline report session]

A hybrid deadline report meeting was held, broadcast live on YouTube and in person (the archive can be viewed here ).

Date and time: January 28, 2025 (Tuesday) 16:30-17:30

Speakers: Appellant Mr. Hatogai, Appellant Mr. Kawachi, Appellant Mr. Yamagata, Attorneys Sawazaki, Fujii, and Inoue (moderator)

"Freedom to marry for all" - An announcement from the Kyushu Bar Association.

The ruling issued by the Fukuoka High Court on December 13, 2024 was

The court acknowledged the violation of Articles 13, 14 Paragraph 1, and 24 Paragraph 2 of the Constitution, and further stated, "Simply put, unless the use of the legal marriage system in the same way as heterosexual marriage is recognized, the violation of Article 14 Paragraph 1 of the Constitution will not be resolved," making it an excellent ruling that made it clear that a system separate from marriage would not be acceptable and that marriage was required.

However , on the day the verdict was handed down, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi responded (at a press conference) that he would continue to keep a close eye on the case.

Furthermore, although Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and Foreign Minister Keisuke Suzuki stated that happiness levels would increase if same-sex marriage were recognized, there was no concrete talk about amending the law to allow same-sex couples to marry.

Thus, unconstitutional rulings have continued, and even though the Fukuoka ruling made it clear that marriage is required, the Diet and the government have not taken any action, so on December 26th the plaintiffs appealed.

In the future,

Within 50 days of receiving the notice of appeal, the plaintiff must submit a written statement of the reasons for the appeal or for the acceptance of the appeal to the Fukuoka High Court.

If the grounds for appeal meet the prescribed formalities, the Fukuoka High Court will send the case to the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court will then notify you of this once it has received the case (in the Hokkaido lawsuit, the notification was made on June 21, 2024 (approximately three months after the High Court ruling)).

The Supreme Court does not meet in court as frequently as district and high courts, and when it does meet, it only meets once for arguments.

A verdict will then be given.

There are a total of 30 plaintiffs and legal teams from Kyushu.

We don't know when the arguments will be made or when the verdict will be announced, but we would appreciate your continued support.

We would appreciate a donation so that we can all travel to Tokyo and attend the arguments and verdicts at the Supreme Court.

Thank you very much.

Regarding the "Freedom of Marriage for All" Tokyo Second Lawsuit, the Tokyo Bar Association has announced the date for the second oral argument hearing in the appeals court and the hearing report session.

The "Freedom of Marriage for All" Tokyo Second Lawsuit is currently being heard in the appeal court (more information on the appeal here ), and the second oral argument hearing will be held on January 28, 2025.

At this hearing, the appellants (plaintiffs) Kawachi and Hatogai, as well as the Tokyo Bar Association, are scheduled to make statements.

Your support in various ways, such as attending court hearings, participating in and viewing court report sessions, and posting on social media, will help us. We appreciate your continued support.

[Second oral hearing in the appeal trial]

Date and time: Tuesday, January 28, 2025, 3:00 p.m.

Venue: Tokyo High Court, Courtroom 101

Case number and case name: Reiwa 6 (Ne) No. 1861 "Freedom of Marriage for All" lawsuit appeal case

◆ Lottery for spectators

As it is expected that there will be a large number of people wishing to observe the trial, the court may distribute numbered tickets on the day and hold a lottery. Details on the distribution of numbered tickets will be announced on the court's official website about one week before the trial, so please refer to the URL below.

https://www.courts.go.jp/app/botyokoufu_jp/list?id=6

[Date Reporting Session]

After the deadline, a report session will be held (details on time, location, distribution, etc. will be announced at a later date).

(Added on January 20, 2025)

After the deadline, we will hold a deadline report session. Please join us.

Time: Starts around 4:30pm

・Venue: Toranomon Hall (2nd floor, Suishin Kouei Building, 1-9-5 Nishi-Shinbashi, Minato-ku, Tokyo)

About 13 minutes walk from Tokyo High Court

About 4 minutes walk from Uchisaiwaicho Station on the Toei Mita Line

About 4 minutes walk from Toranomon Station on the Ginza Line

Approximately 8 minutes walk from Shinbashi Station on the Yamanote Line

*The deadline report session will also be streamed online. If you are unable to attend the venue on the day, please watch it online.

URL: https://www.youtube.com/live/zeCSl7stQtM?si=5zp-4-T4rDJk17BO

<X (formerly Twitter)>

The latest information on the "Freedom to Marry for All" Tokyo lawsuit (first and second phases) is being posted on the Tokyo Bar Association's X account (@KejisubeTokyo) as it becomes available.

We would also like to ask you to please support the National Kejisube Plaintiffs Group (@kejisubegenkoku), which is a direct message from plaintiffs across the country in the "Freedom to Marry for All" lawsuit.

Tokyo Defense Team’s X account: https://twitter.com/KejisubeTokyo

Kejisube Plaintiffs' X Account ⇒ https://twitter.com/kejisubegenkoku

＜CALL4＞

Once the documents to be submitted to the court are prepared, they will be made public as soon as possible on the case site of the public litigation support site CALL4.

CALL4 case site ⇒ https://www.call4.jp/info.php?type=items&id=I0000031

<Donations>

Support and donations to the nationwide "Freedom to Marry for All" litigation legal team are also being accepted through the "Support Us" section on the CALL4 case site.

⇒ https://www.call4.jp/pay_regist.php?type=pay&items_id=I0000031

"Freedom of Marriage for All" Aichi Lawsuit: Report on the Fifth Appeal Hearing [Conclusion]

Date and time: December 12, 2024 (Thursday) 11:00

Venue: Nagoya High Court, Courtroom No. 1

Judges: Presiding Judge Nobuhiro Katada Judge Makiko Yamamoto Judge Yasutomo Mitsuhashi

Contents:

1. Conclusion

The respondent (the government) had stated that it might refute and refute the appellant's (plaintiff's) tenth preparatory brief submitted at the previous hearing (a document outlining how the disadvantages of being excluded from the marriage system have not been eliminated or mitigated by efforts by local governments and companies, etc.).

However, in the end, the trial came to a conclusion without any refutation or refutation of the allegations.

2. Statement of Opinion

As this was the final trial, the appellant Takami and his lawyer Mizutani Yoko gave speeches (statements) regarding the verdict.

The contents of the speeches can be read in the " Freedom to Marry for All (Same-Sex Marriage Lawsuit) " lawsuit documents tab on Call4, under High Court > Other > "Summary of Appellant Takami's Statement of Opinion" and "Summary of Attorney Mizutani's Statement of Opinion."

3. Judgment date

Friday, March 7, 2025, 11:00 a.m. (Judgment)

Nagoya High Court, Courtroom No. 1

The next hearing is a verdict date, so there may be a lottery for attendance. The lottery time and meeting place will be announced on the court's website a few days before the hearing, so please check before attending. We will also announce it on Lawyers X and CALL4, so please check them as well.

After the verdict, a flag-raising ceremony will be held in front of the court. In addition, a press conference will be held from 2:00 p.m., and a verdict report session will be held from 3:30 p.m., so please join us, whether you were able to attend the hearing or not.

4. Report on the hearing tour

At this hearing, we had a tour led by Goto Ayani (Co-representative of Nagoya Rainbow Pride)!

This time, too, there were several people who were attending a hearing for the first time, and even though the date was set at short notice, in the end about 50 people came to observe the hearing.

About 10 people came to the press box to cover the case, indicating the high level of attention this lawsuit is receiving.

5. Report on the press conference

After the hearing, a press conference was held where the defense team explained the details of the hearing and future plans.

Takami shared his thoughts about the ruling, including his hopes for the Nagoya High Court's ruling, given that high courts in other regions continue to rule laws unconstitutional, and his hope that the government will take action without waiting for the Supreme Court.

In addition, lawyer Yoko Mizutani from the defense team explained that she wanted to convey to the judge that there are sexual minorities in the legal profession as well, and that she went to make her statement with the desire not to place the burden solely on the plaintiffs.

6. Deadline Reporting Session

On the same day as the hearing, an online hearing report was held from 7:30 pm, moderated by lawyer Akiko Yazaki of the defense team.

First, the Aichi Bar Association reviewed the past hearings and reported on the content of the oral argument hearing at the fifth hearing of the appeal court. Then, Ayani Goto (Co-representative of Nagoya Rainbow Pride) reported on the tour and shared his impressions of the hearing.

We received many messages of support from viewers, including comments on the statements made at this hearing and messages of support for the verdict. Thank you very much.

The report session is available as an archived video on YouTube, so please take a look ( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XlBIk2q7y-o ).

The next hearing will be the verdict date. After the verdict is announced, we will hold a report session both on-site and online, so please come and join us.

For those who want to support the Aichi lawsuit even more!

Thank you for your continued support of the Aichi lawsuit.

Your support, whether it be attending court hearings or trial briefings, donating to Call4, or sharing information about the lawsuit on social media, is a great encouragement to the plaintiffs and their legal team.

Thank you for your continued support.

"Freedom to marry for all" - An announcement from the Kyushu Bar Association.

This is a report on the Fukuoka High Court ruling.

Venue: Fukuoka District Court, Courtroom No. 101

Judges: Judge Takeshi Okada, Judge Hironari Kishimoto, and Judge Maiko Takechi

Judgment date and time: December 13, 2024 11:00

1. Scene from the courtroom

On the day of the sentencing hearing, a great number of people came to observe the hearing. 210 lottery tickets were distributed for the 73 seats available for spectators. Unfortunately, about two-thirds of the people did not win the lottery, but the support of so many people was very encouraging.

The trial began at 11 a.m., and the presiding judge read out a summary of the verdict after stating, "The appeal is dismissed."

First, the ruling on the allegation of violation of Article 13 of the Constitution was read out. The decision on whether to marry and who to choose as a marriage partner is left to the free and equal decision-making of both parties, and in that sense, the dignity of individuals in marriage is guaranteed. The presiding judge went on to say that the Constitution not only guarantees individual freedom in marriage, but also recognizes the right to be protected by a legal system regarding the establishment and maintenance of marriage, and that this is one of the rights to pursue happiness recognized by Article 13 of the Constitution.

At this point in the defense team, there was surprise at the court's positive findings, along with anxiety that the court might say something like, "However..." that would overturn the conclusion.

However, the presiding judge did not say "however," but instead simply read out his conclusion, after "therefore," that the provisions in question that exclude same-sex couples from the marriage system are an infringement of the right to pursue happiness and are contrary to Article 13 of the Constitution.

At that moment, a quiet murmur spread throughout the courtroom, and people were seen raising their clenched hands to their chests and repeatedly giving small fist pumps.

While the shock of the violation of Article 13 had still not worn off, the presiding judge moved on to Articles 14 and 24. Although the presiding judge's tone and attitude were calm, he clearly stated the violation of Articles 14 and 24, paragraph 2, and ended his reading by referring to the requirements under the State Compensation Act (the claim for state compensation was not allowed).

At that point, there was an atmosphere of confusion in the courtroom, as to whether the contents of the verdict should be accepted as reality, but after the judge left the courtroom, applause erupted from the plaintiffs, their lawyers, and the spectators. Smiles were everywhere in the courtroom, and before we knew it, many people had tears in their eyes.

The summary of the judgment and the ruling are available on Call4. Please read them for yourself.

There is also an archived video of the flag raising ceremony in front of the courthouse. Please take a look.

2. Press conferences and reporting meetings

At the report meeting, Ishii, co-chair of the legal team, explained that the Kyushu lawsuit for Freedom to Marry for All was filed seven months after the nationwide lawsuit, and that what distinguishes the Kyushu lawsuit from other district court lawsuits is that it asserted a violation of the Constitution under Article 13 alone from the complaint stage .

A list of documents submitted to the court in the Kyushu lawsuit can be found here , with links to the documents also provided.

Afterwards, Co-chair Mori reported on the contents of the ruling and its significance.

Attorney Mori introduced a statement from the defense team , pointing out that the ruling states , "Simply put, unless the use of the legal marriage system in the same way as heterosexual marriage is permitted, the violation of Article 14, Paragraph 1 of the Constitution will not be resolved," making it clear that a system separate from marriage would not be acceptable.

Masahiro commented that "the ruling brought us one step closer to getting married," and Kosuke said that he hoped the ruling would be enacted as soon as possible. Kozo commented that he had been nervous for two days leading up to this day, and Yuta shared a story from the courtroom where "Kozo was crying next to me."

Coco and Miko also sent the following message:

I feel relieved after receiving this ruling. But when I think about the future, I realize that we are still on a long journey. 2025 is almost here, but every time a new year comes around, I realize how long this trial has taken. I have decided not to give up until same-sex marriage is a reality in Japan, but sometimes I feel anxious about the uncertainty of what the future holds.

In the midst of all this uncertainty, I feel truly warmed by the presence of the Kyushu Bar Association team, my fellow plaintiffs, and all of our supporters who are supporting this trial. Thank you so much for everything. And I look forward to your continued support.

I would also like to take this opportunity to say something to the Diet members who are in a position to realize same-sex marriage. It's a short message. Please listen without taking it too lightly.

Love has rights!

I'll say it again.

Love has rights!

I will say it again and again.

Love has rights!

We hope our voices are heard!!!

At the press conference that followed, questions from reporters continued uninterrupted for two and a half hours. Most of the questions were, as expected, about the ruling on the violation of Article 13 of the Constitution. Given that a distinctive feature of the Kyushu lawsuit was that it asserted the violation of Article 13 alone, many questions were asked about how to interpret the ruling.

In response to the question, "How would you rate this ruling in comparison to other district courts?" Co-chair Mori commented, "Everyone wins in their own way. In the Kyushu lawsuit, the court recognized our unique assertion of Article 13. We get 100 points."

After the press conference, we received comments from the defense teams from around the country, introduced the members of the Kyushu defense team, took a commemorative photo, and concluded the report meeting. The live broadcasts of the press conference and report meeting are archived. Please take a look.

After the report meeting, the participants were divided into small groups and held talk sessions. It was clear that each group was conducted in a friendly atmosphere. There were exchanges that looked back on the lawsuits so far, and there were also times when participants confirmed their determination to continue working hard in the future. Thank you to everyone who participated.

3. Conclusion

In the appeal court of the Kyushu lawsuit, we were able to win the cases for violation of Article 13, Article 14, and Article 24, paragraph 2, and the verdict was reached in a very favorable manner. Thank you very much to everyone who supported us by attending the hearings, etc.

I believe that this ruling will provide strong support for the legalization of same-sex marriage, and I will continue to do my utmost until it becomes a reality. I would appreciate your continued support.