Homosexuality & Japan

Hello. I am a late-twenties English teacher that will soon be moving to Tokyo to teach English as a foreign language. I'm very excited to move overseas, and I have a great appreciation for Japanese culture and history. However, there's something about me that I'm not sure will be treated in Japan. I'm gay.

I get very mixed details about how the general population sees LGBT rights, and it has me confused. Will employers and people in general care or treat me differently? Will I have trouble finding other homosexual men?

Thank you for any answers and insight.

Absolutely no problem finding gay men in Tokyo. There are gay people in every place where there are humans, and in Tokyo plenty of them are out.

As for how you will be treated, of course it varies from person to person. As a heterosexual woman I can not speak from experience, but I have western friends here who are gay, and the most common reaction Ifve heard about is basically one of indifference. It also seems like some Japanese are far more accepting of foreign gay people than they are of Japanese gay people.

In my opinion therefs no reason to worry. Your experience wonft be much worse than whatever western country you are coming from, unless you happen to be from somewhere like Denmark. Just my view based on what Ifve been told by people I trust. Sadly gay people can still face problems anywhere, but Japan is not Saudi Arabia, and I wouldnft lose any sleep over it. Just bear in mind that marriage is not currently possible.

The following comment may be incorrect and I invite people with more experience (specifically on the ground experience) to correct me.

A small number companies can be quite conservative when it comes to reputation. For example, I have heard of some more traditional companies who have not approved of divorced women in a company.

However on a positive note, many people in Japan just let things be / don't care about it if it does not affect them directly.

Do note that some locations are much more progressive than others when it comes to legal rights. Shibuya City Ward comes to mind.

http://stonewalljapan.org/
Connecting Japanfs LGBTQIA+ International Community

You might check them out. Should be able to answer most of your queery.