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As of 1 April 2024, 417 municipalities and 26 prefectures have established a "partnership oath system" (Japanese: パートナーシップ宣誓制度, pātonāshippu sensei seido, pronounced [paːtonaːɕippɯ senseː seːdo]), also known as "partnership certification system" (パートナーシップ証明制度, pātonāshippu shōmei seido), which provides same-sex (and, in some jurisdictions, opposite-sex) couples with some limited benefits.
The couple is issued a special certificate which may be useful in matters such as housing, hospital visitation rights and consenting to surgery for a partner.[1][2] However, the system is not legally binding and there is no legal obligation on landlords or hospitals to honour the couples' rights even if presented with a certificate, though cities have encouraged companies, hospitals and landlords to recognize the certificate.[3] The various benefits provided by the system are also very limited in comparison to those granted to married couples; same-sex couples cannot inherit the estate and property of a deceased partner or attend the funeral of a deceased partner for instance. Partners must meet certain requirements, including living in the municipality or prefecture, being older than 20 years of age, and not having a spouse or another partner. In some jurisdictions, the children and other close relatives of a partnered couple may opt to be recognized in the partnership oath.
- ^ "Tokyo's Setagaya Ward to begin legally recognizing same-sex partnerships". Rocket News 24. 31 July 2015.
- ^ Williams, Joe (December 26, 2015). "Another Japanese city to recognise same-sex relationships". Pink News. Retrieved December 26, 2015.
- ^ "Japanese Court Puts Same-Sex Marriage on the Nation's Agenda". www.cfr.org. 30 March 2021.
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