Court in Japan allows transgender woman to officially change gender without compulsory surgery

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy A Japanese high court has approved a legal gender change for a transgender woman without requiring compulsory gender-affirming surgery, a step that LGBGQ+ groups on Thursday called a mixed victory. The Supreme Court, in a landmark decision in October, ruled that the sterilization requirement is unconstitutional but sent the transgender woman's case back to the High Court, ordering it to reexamine if the claimant can avoid a gender-affirming surgery, something it failed to address in its earlier ruling. Members of the Japan Alliance for LGBT Legislation, in a statement Thursday, said that the Hiroshima ruling can be considered progress because "it can open the door for transgender females to be able to legally change their gender without undergoing surgery.” But it said questions remain because it fell short of including those who cannot take hormones. The ruling that allows the claimant's legal gender change without her surgery could be especially beneficial for transgender females, whose affirmation care tends to face greater controversy.