Rights activists have accused ruling lawmakers in Japan of violating the Olympic spirit with homophobic remarks that included saying same-sex relationships “resist the preservation of the species”. The comments — made during discussions on a new anti-discrimination bill — have sparked a backlash as Japan prepares to host the virus-postponed Games in two months’ time. Kazuo Yana from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) said during a meeting on Thursday that LGBTQ relationships “resist the preservation of the species, which should happen biologically”, the Asahi Shimbun day by day reported. Fellow LDP member Eriko Yamatani additionally hit out at transgender athletes on the closed-door assembly, in response to Jiji Press.
“Some individuals have said an opinion that they’ve a male physique however they’re ladies. Therefore, they need to be allowed to make use of the ladies’s restroom. Or they take part in ladies’s sports activities and win medals. A quantity of ridiculous issues are taking place,” she reportedly mentioned.
Broadcaster TBS and other Japanese media also quoted an unnamed lawmaker as saying that LGBTQ sexualities “can’t be accepted in a moral way”.
Pride House Tokyo — a group hub formally recognised as half of the Olympic programme — criticised the remarks in a joint assertion Saturday with US-based marketing campaign group Athlete Ally.
“These feedback, if true, are in violation of the spirit of the Olympics and Paralympics which Tokyo is hoping to host,” they said.
“How can athletes truly feel safe playing in a country where a member of the ruling party makes such discriminatory remarks?” added Pride House Tokyo’s director Gon Matsunaka.
Another Japanese rights group that’s supporting the brand new invoice has known as the reported remarks “extraordinarily regrettable”.
The Olympic charter states that “every individual must have the possibility of practising sport, without discrimination of any kind”.
Tokyo 2020 organising committee chief Seiko Hashimoto — appointed in February after her predecessor was pressured to resign over sexist feedback — has pushed for higher gender equality on the Games.
Pride House Tokyo opened a everlasting assembly area and knowledge centre in central Tokyo in October.
