Human Rights Council: 42nd Session of the Universal Periodic Review, Japan

Madame Vice-President,

New Zealand welcomes Japan’s on-going commitment to the advancement of human rights.

We wish to commend Japan on its efforts to promote and protect the human rights of women and children, including legislative amendments to improve reporting on the gender pay gap, and Japan’s intent to establish a children’s agency in 2023.

We recommend that Japan:

1. Take steps to address discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity, including revising the Gender Identity Disorder Act and legally recognising same-sex partnerships on an equal basis with opposite sex partnerships.
2. Establish an independent National Human Rights Institution to promote and protect human rights.
3. Establish a moratorium on the use of the death penalty, as a first step towards the complete abolition of this practice.
4. Remove abortion as a crime in the penal code and amend the Maternal Protection Act to ensure access to safe and legal abortion without requiring spousal consent.

We wish Japan all the best for its review.

Thank you Madame Vice-President.