Japan PM Kishida dismisses aide over homophobic remark

TOKYO: A senior aide to Japan’s prime minister is being dismissed after making discriminatory remarks about LGBTQ people.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told reporters on Saturday that Masayoshi Arai, a secretary at his office, was being dismissed after Arai told Japanese media he wouldn’t want to live next to lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender couples and warned people would flee Japan if same-sex marriage was permitted. Arai, who joined Kishida’s staff in October, added that he did not even want to look at same-sex couples.

Kishida said the remarks run counter to the administration’s position on promoting diversity.

“His comments are outrageous and completely incompatible with the administration’s policies,” Kishida said in remarks aired by public broadcaster NHK.

Speaking to reporters later in the day, the Japanese leader said he had dismissed Arai, who had earlier apologised for “misleading” comments made on Friday.

Arai’s comments come after Kishida said in parliament that same-sex marriage needed careful consideration because of its potential impact on the family structure.

Arai’s remarks prompted an outburst of protest and were the latest in a string of gaffes by Japanese officials.

Saving face is important in conformist Japan, where prejudice against LGBTQ people, racial groups, women and other nationalities persist.

Japan is the only Group of Seven country that does not recognise same-sex marriage, but the movement toward recognition has been growing.

Because they are not allowed to marry, same-sex couples can’t inherit each other’s assets and denied parental rights to each other’s children. In November, a Tokyo court upheld a ban on same-sex marriage, but also said a lack of legal protection for same-sex families violated human rights.

Fumio Kishida