A quiet but significant divergence has occurred within the G7 nations. Japan recently upheld its ban on same-sex marriage, a decision that sets it apart from its allies and ignites a crucial debate about the very foundation of family and national survival.
The Tokyo court’s ruling affirmed the long-standing civil code, defining marriage as exclusively between a man and a woman. This was the first defeat in a series of six appeals brought by same-sex couples, and now places the issue squarely before the Supreme Court for resolution.
Judge Ayumi Higashi’s decision centered on the traditional understanding of marriage as a union designed for procreation and the raising of children. She dismissed arguments that the ban violated equality clauses, asserting that the differences between same-sex and opposite-sex couples did not constitute unconstitutional discrimination.
This decision isn’t simply about legal definitions; it’s a stark acknowledgement of a looming demographic crisis. Japan, like much of the developed world, faces a rapidly aging population and a dangerously low birth rate – a “demographic winter” threatening its future.
The global fertility rate is alarmingly low, with most G7 nations falling below the 2.1 replacement rate needed to sustain a population. Japan’s situation is particularly dire, leading the world in aging and projected to see its population halved within the next century.
The court’s choice to reinforce the traditional definition of marriage wasn’t born of prejudice, but of demographic realism. It reflects a growing understanding, among scholars, that the institution of marriage is inextricably linked to the continuation of a nation.
Evidence presented years ago to the U.S. Supreme Court during the Obergefell v. Hodges debate warned of a correlation between the legalization of same-sex marriage and declining birth rates. States permitting same-sex marriage consistently showed lower fertility rates than those that did not.
These predictions are now becoming reality. National marriage rates in the United States have steadily declined since 2015, and the total fertility rate has fallen every year since 2014. The consequences are visible: shrinking school enrollment, a dwindling workforce, and a growing sense of societal despair.
The decline isn’t simply about fewer people choosing to marry; it’s about a cultural shift that devalues procreation. When laws fail to acknowledge the unique and essential role of mothers and fathers, they subtly communicate that bringing new life into the world is no longer a societal priority.
Opposite-sex marriage remains uniquely positioned to naturally sustain a population, a capability that assisted reproductive technologies cannot replicate on a national scale. Prioritizing and supporting this union isn’t discriminatory, but a necessary act of self-preservation.
The nations that have legalized same-sex marriage may have prioritized adult emotional fulfillment, but at a potential cost to their long-term viability. Japan’s decision offers a different path – one that extends dignity and respect to all while safeguarding the institution vital to the future.
A nation that loses sight of the fundamental purpose of marriage risks more than just individual hardship. It risks empty classrooms, fractured families, and a future that no country can endure. The stakes are simply too high to ignore.
