The Japanese Government is being urged to end a rule requiring transgender people to undergo sterilisation to legally change gender.
People who seek to alter their legal sex must appeal to a family court under legislation entitled Law 111.
Although the law affords some rights to transgender people and was hailed as step towards equality for LGBT people when it was introduced in 2003, it imposes a series of restrictions on those seeking legal recognition.
Law 111 requires successful applicants to be single, not have children under the age of 20, have a psychiatric diagnosis of “gender identity disorder”, and be sterilised.
The rule stipulating applicants must “permanently lack functioning gonads” has been condemned by both the United Nations and the World Health Organisation.
Human Rights Watch said the practice “amounts to forced sterilisation” and on Wednesday called on the Government to urgently review the law.
“Forcing people to undergo unwanted surgeries to obtain documentation is contrary both to Japan’s human rights obligations and its reputation as a champion of LGBT rights,” it said in a statement.
“The government should urgently revise Law 111 to end forced sterilisation.”
The rule was challenged earlier this year when Takakito Usui, a 43-year-old man who was born female, took his case to family court.
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