Advancing the rights of sexual minorities will help societies become "prosperous" and "innovative," a senior U.S. official promoting human rights has said, as the Japanese government's stance on LGBT people comes under scrutiny following discriminatory remarks by a former close aide to the prime minister.

In a recent interview in Tokyo, Uzra Zeya, undersecretary of state for democracy and human rights, highlighted the importance of continuing efforts toward "full equality and inclusion" for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and other marginalized people, while refraining from directly commenting on the latest development in Japan.

Uzra Zeya, U.S. undersecretary of state for democracy and human rights, speaks in an interview in Tokyo on Feb. 9, 2023. (Kyodo)

"Our credibility on human rights internationally is directly linked to our efforts to improve human rights at home in the United States," including advancing the equality of LGBT individuals, she said.

Noting that U.S. President Joe Biden signed a bill into law in December that protects same-sex and interracial marriage, Zeya said, "But we also recognize as Americans that we are on a journey...It is a subject of some debate at home as well."

"The administration is resolute in its commitment to achieve equality and inclusion for all, and its conclusion that more equitable, more inclusive societies are ultimately more prosperous, more innovative and more secure," she emphasized.

Zeya's trip to Tokyo came as Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is being grilled in parliament after one of his secretaries told reporters last week that he would "not want to live next door" to an LGBT couple and that he does "not even want to look at them."

Kishida swiftly sacked the aide, Masayoshi Arai, saying his remarks were "completely inconsistent" with the policy of the Cabinet, which is seeking to respect diversity and realize an inclusive society.

But pressure has been building on the government and the ruling Liberal Democratic Party to act to address discrimination against sexual minorities, including through the passage of a law to facilitate understanding of LGBT people, before Japan hosts the Group of Seven summit in May.

Japan remains the only G-7 nation not to legally recognize same-sex marriage or civil unions, with many members of the conservative LDP arguing they undermine Japan's traditional family values. Other G-7 nations include the United States, Britain and France.

Zeya said the United States and Japan on Thursday launched a "Strategic Dialogue on Democratic Resilience," which would seek opportunities for further collaboration on the strengthening of democracy, gender equality and human rights throughout the Indo-Pacific during Japan's G-7 presidency in 2023.

She also voiced expectations that Japan and the United States will continue to tackle forced labor in supply chains amid concern over China's alleged human rights abuses against the Uyghur Muslim minority in the far-western Xinjiang region.

"Governments have approached this issue differently," Zeya said. "But I think what we see is a shared resolve and a shared recognition of the seriousness of this issue and the need for greater multilateral and bilateral cooperation."

Zeya, who concurrently serves as the U.S. special coordinator for Tibetan issues, also expressed concern over what she calls China's "sustained" and "deepening" repression of Tibetans' most fundamental human rights, including the right to speak their own language and the right to honor their own religious leader.

The Dalai Lama, the exiled spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhism, is regarded by Beijing as a hostile figure trying to separate Tibet from China.


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