More than 6,000 people marched through Tokyo’s Shibuya District on Sunday
This was a banner year for Tokyo Rainbow Pride, a weeklong series culminating with more than 6,000 people marching through Tokyo’s Shibuya District on May 7, the most since the event began in 2012.
This year’s theme, “Change,” was a nod to recent strides Japan has made toward LGBT equality: In 2016, even the country’s conservative party included gay rights in its platform, a move that would have been unimaginable ten years ago.
This March, Japan’s education department updated its anti-bullying policy to include protections for LGBT students. And although marriage equality has not been legalized nationwide, several municipalities and two areas of Tokyo—including the Shibuya district—recognize same-sex unions.
The parade wrapped with a festival in Yoyogi Park.
