TLDR: A central Japanese court has ruled that it is unconstitutional to require a transgender person to undergo surgery to remove their reproductive organs for documentation under their new gender. The ruling upholds a transgender plaintiff’s request to change their gender without surgery, a decision hailed as a landmark by LGBTQ+ advocates. The ruling comes at a time of heightened awareness of issues surrounding LGBTQ+ people in Japan, as activists have stepped up efforts to pass anti-discrimination laws. The Shizuoka court said the requirement to undergo surgery to eliminate the possibility of childbirth is outdated and goes counter to a global effort toward creating a more inclusive society.

Unfortunately, this will not change the law until a similar lawsuit filed by a transgender female pending at the Supreme Court is decided. It’s decision is expected as early as late December. I don’t know why this is since I don’t know much about how the Japanese judicial system works. If it were the US, it would have to be the case that the Shizuoka court decision were being appealed to a higher court. Maybe someone here knows and can chime in?