What are the Japanese objections to same-sex marriages/unions?

[tonka2]

Hello!
Tokyo's Shibuya Ward adopts ordinance to recognize same-sex unions | The Japan Times
I showed a Japanese friend this article, and he had... a reaction.
I'm American, so I'm used to the usual one-man-one-woman, 'they can't reproduce,' arguments and more. I'm also not trying to start a debate on the rightness or wrongness of homosexuality on my second-ever jref thread. I am specifically interested in common Japanese objections, if you would be generous enough to tell me.

 

[Mike Cash]

I've never heard it mentioned whatsoever in daily life.

Interesting article (Japanese)

「差別はないが無関心」 日本で同性婚が合法化されない理由 | ニュースフィア

 

[WonkoTheSane]

What was the reaction?

 

[tonka2]

His reactions were the standard, 'gays can't reproduce,' 'waste of tax money,' 'it is personally icky to me' variety of argument.

 

[WonkoTheSane]

Well, it's never come up in my conversations, but it sounds like you answered your question:

All the same BS objections every other country's homophobes have.

Seems like a small sample size, though. If you're really interested why wouldn't you ask Japanese people?

 

[nekojita]

To summarise the article Mike links to in terms of gay marriage.

1. The Japanese constitution specifies marriage as between people of the opposite sex. No part of the Japanese constitution has ever been amended, so even if there was large-scale public support it would be an extended process just legally.

2. The general public, while accepting to a certain degree, generally aren't particularly interested in the issue. (as the headline says: apathy, rather than discrimination). Compared to other countries, there's not intense religious opposition or anything like that, but there's also fewer people who are publicly open about their sexuality/demanding change.

3. The current government is against it (some opposition parties are in support, though)

It does list some small changes - for example, there's a Zen Buddhist temple in Kyoto , 春光院 (Shunkoin) who perform same-sex marriage ceremonies, and a hotel in Tokyo Disneyland as well (obviously not "legal" in the same way).

52.4% of Japanese say they oppose same-sex marriage | The Japan Times
This shows the same pattern as in other countries, really. Older people are against, younger people are for.

 

[Mark of Zorro]

I would say the standard Japanese position is of the "never thought about it" type of ignorance, whereas in America its the "I firmly made up my mind with what little information I had" type of ignorance or the "my preacher and daddy told me it was evil sin" type of ignorance. Also with Japanese you will get polite avoidance of such subjects combined with non-committal responses, whereas with Americans you will get people who seem to need to cram their ill-formed and half baked opinions down your throat and they need to do it all at once and right now.

Basically, I think most Japanese would not touch this one with a ten foot pole for reasons of 1) what will it get ME? 2) if I take either stance I will have people opposing me and 3) I got way more important things to think about and so do my elected officials.

For me personally, gay marriage is a total non-issue in the sense that I cannot believe pencil pushing bureaucrats or blowhard politicians would waste any time or thought on denying gay marriages. But it does seem that some people revel in making trouble and oppressing others and we cannot just shoot them.