La protección de los derechos de las personas LGBT en la política exterior japonesa

Abstract

Since the decade of 1990, the international protection of LGBT rights has gained increasing interest, especially within international organizations. Starting in 2011, actors such as the United States, the United Kingdom, and the European Union began to incorporate these rights as relevant elements of their foreign policy. However, this trend has faced opposition from countries that question the universality of such rights. In this context, Japan presents an interesting case study due to its international influence, being one of the largest donors of Official Development Assistance and of the UN.

Most existing studies on Japan have addressed the situation of LGBT rights from a domestic perspective, without paying sufficient attention to its foreign policy. This article aims to fill this gap by analyzing how the idea of "LGBT rights as human rights" has been translated into the Japanese foreign policy. To this end, I will examine both the conditionality of Official Development Assistance to LGBT rights and Japan's participation in UN initiatives.

This article concludes that Japan does not exercise leadership in defending LGBT rights in the international sphere. However, the reactionary shifts identified in countries previously committed to this cause open an opportunity for Japan to take on a more proactive role in promoting LGBT rights.

Most existing studies on Japan have addressed the situation of LGBT rights from a domestic perspective, without paying sufficient attention to its foreign policy. This article aims to fill this gap by analyzing how the idea of "LGBT rights as human rights" has been translated into the Japanese foreign policy. To this end, I will examine both the conditionality of Official Development Assistance to LGBT rights and Japan's participation in UN initiatives.

This article concludes that Japan does not exercise leadership in defending LGBT rights in the international sphere. However, the reactionary shifts identified in countries previously committed to this cause open an opportunity for Japan to take on a more proactive role in promoting LGBT rights.