LDP Lawmaker Says Same-Sex Affairs “Like Hobby”

August 2, 2018

Tokyo- Tom Tanigawa, a Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker of Japan's House of Representatives, has described same-sex affairs as "something like a hobby."

The remark came at a time when Mio Sugita, another LDP lawmaker of the lower parliamentary chamber, is under fire over her recent claim in a monthly magazine that LGBT, or lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender, couples are "unproductive."

In an online television program broadcast by AbemaTV Inc. on Sunday, all guests except for Tanigawa voiced their approval for legislation to enable same-sex couples to marry.

Tanigawa insisted, "It's not that I don't accept diversity, but I see no need for legislation." Same-sex affairs "are something like a hobby," he added.

"Since very early times, men and women have gotten married, had children and formed families in order to prevent a country from falling," Tanigawa said. "I don't see why you'd bother to create a law to allow homosexuals to get married." Jiji Press