Comments on: Being Gay And Gaijin In Japan

By: Kensou

Kensou — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 00:41:47 +0000

Would you care to elaborate on this at all? Getting adopted by a japanese national isnt something ive heard before.

Im gay and living in japan, i have an amazing boyfriend and were both very happy. My working visa ends in august and its so tricky getting a job im scared it will run out before i get one.

If i could get a dependent visa by getting adopted that would be the best thing to ever happen for us.

By: hunnwari

hunnwari — Sat, 09 Jan 2010 16:27:07 +0000

it’s pretty common for gay guys in Japan to use adoption as a marriage. And, bureaucrats would not ask anything as long as you are doing the paper job.

By: Mark

Mark — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 00:31:11 +0000

Thanks for such an excellent article! I have been redeading some stuff about the general attitude according to the culture (and it didnt sounds positice at all) but not how people actually react!

Reading this has really given me an insight into how a real gay person is treated and made mea little less scared about being a gay man moving to Japan next year!

By: Global Voices 日本語 » ブログアーカイブ » 日本：外国人で男性同性愛者であること

Global Voices 日本語 » ブログアーカイブ » 日本：外国人で男性同性愛者であること — Tue, 06 Nov 2007 07:53:04 +0000

[...] Japan ProbeのDavid Markleは、外国人で男性同性愛者のScottに彼の日本での生活についてインタビューした。 [...]

By: Global Voices Online » Japan: Life of a Homosexual Foreign Male

Global Voices Online » Japan: Life of a Homosexual Foreign Male — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 03:44:25 +0000

[...] Markle from Japan Probe interviewed Scott, a homosexual foreign male, about his life in Japan. Share [...]

By: shazzb0t

shazzb0t — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 12:29:06 +0000

Japan also has an acknowledge history of male-male relationships, for example Oda Nobunaga’s relationship with Mori Ranmaru (who is even depicted in KOEI’s Sengoku Musou) and other shudo relationships. Perhaps that is why it seems to be more open towards if not down right opposed to homosexual relationships. I don’t know so much about the lesbian experience in Japan though.

Seems like ‘Scott’ is getting along very well. Interesting post David.

By: The Overthinker

The Overthinker — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 08:38:06 +0000

I wonder how easy that was to get? How did the bureaucracy view it? Was it a case of deep suspicion, or anything is fine so long as the right forms are submitted? Both seem plausible….

By: David Markle

David Markle — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 07:57:54 +0000

I understand that Scott was able to get a ‘Dependant of Japan National’ visa by being legally adopted by his ‘guardian.’

By: James

James — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 06:26:04 +0000

Not being able to get a spouse visa would be a big problem, especially if one wanted to work in the restaurant or bar business. I suppose he’d have to teach English for a visa and not officially be paid for his restaurant work.

By: The Overthinker

The Overthinker — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 06:13:28 +0000

I would say Japan is more open to gay people than most Western countries. Here there are openly gay people and transvestites on TV, and gay sex has not had quite the same sinful nature attached to it that Christianity gave it. However the one big disadvantage would be that you will not be able to get a spouse visa.