Why Japan lies so behind in LGBTQ+ rights? Religious, nationalist and ethical constraints in the Japanese morality politics

Among the most economically advanced and democratic countries, Japan figures prominently as a laggard in recognizing LGBTQ+ rights and implementing a legislative framework to combat discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The moral conservatism of Japanese legislation is an infringement of human rights that affects the quality of democracy in Japan. This paper tests the salience of religion in shaping the exclusionary positions of Japanese lawmakers toward the LGBTQ+ community. It shows that religion is seldom politicized and even less used as a coalition magnet to sustain a civilization discourse against LGBTQ+ rights. Drawing on the theories of morality politics, the secularization debate, and nationalism, this paper contends that a resilient traditional family ethos, gendered nationalism, and the populist positions sustained by right-wing political elites rather than religious values play a crucial role in explaining the moral conservatism of Japanese policies on LGBTQ+ rights. The paper aims to explore the political opposition against LGBTQ+ rights in Japan, shed light on the under-research linkages between religion, nationalism, and sexual citizenship in east Asian countries, and present an alternative explanation from that offered by the Western academic literature on the influence of populism on value-laden issues.