Taipei Court Rules Japanese - Taiwanese Same - Sex Couple Can Marry
A Japanese man and his partner have won their legal battle to register their same-sex marriage in Taiwan.
It could set a precedent that may help other couples not allowed to officially wed.
Ariyoshi Eizaburo is from Japan. His partner, Lu Yin-jen, is from Taiwan. They tried to register their marriage last year at a municipal office in Taipei.
It rejected them on the grounds that same-sex marriage is not recognized if one of the partners is from a country or jurisdiction where it is illegal. In this case, Japan does not allow it.
But the Taipei High Administrative Court overturned the office's decision Thursday, saying the couple should be allowed to register.
This is the first ruling recognizing same-sex marriage for a Japanese citizen in Taiwan.
Ariyoshi said, " I had always thought marriage would not be an option in my life, but I wanted to prove that homosexuals and heterosexuals should be treated the same. Today I believe I achieved that."
The ruling can still be appealed, but if it's confirmed, that could pave the way for more same-sex couples of different nationalities to be considered officially married in Taiwan.