Supreme Court of Japan, Reiwa 1 (Ku) No. 791 Special Appeal on Denial of Gender Status Change
This case concerned Article 3(1)(ii) of the Act on Special Cases in Handling Gender for Persons with Gender Identity Disorder, which requires that an applicant for legal gender status change recognition be unmarried. The appellant’s application for gender status change was denied because they were married, and their subsequent special appeal argued that this requirement violated Article 13 (respect for individuals), Article 14(1) (equality under the law), and Article 24 (gender equality in marriage) of the Constitution. The Supreme Court dismissed the appeal, holding that the provision was not unreasonable in light of its legislative purpose and therefore did not violate the Constitution.
概要：抗告人は、性同一性障害の特例法３条１項に基づき、性別の取扱いの変更の審判を請求したが、性別変更が認められる要件の一つである同３条１項２号の「現に婚姻をしていないこと」を満たさないとして、申立てが却下された。抗告人は同法３条１項２号が憲法１３条、１４条１項及び２４条に違反すると主張し、特別抗告を申し立てたが、最高裁判所は、本件規定は合理性を欠くものとはいえず、憲法に違反するとはいえないとして、抗告を棄却した。