The Kyoto Family Court on Wednesday dismissed a petition filed by a married person to have their gender designation changed in the family register.
Not being married is one of the five requirements for changing one's gender under the gender dysphoria special law.
"It cannot be said outright that (the law provision) violates the Constitution and is invalid," presiding Judge Akiko Nakamura said.
The petitioner's side immediately appealed the ruling.
The petitioner, between the ages of 50 and 59, was born a man and diagnosed with gender dysphoria in 2015 after getting married. The petitioner discussed the matter with the petitioner's wife prior to their marriage and currently lives as a woman.
In the lawsuit, the petitioner claimed that the law provision forces a choice of divorce or continuing marriage while accepting disadvantages.
In the ruling, the court recognized that the law provision restricts the important legal interest of continuing marriage, but said that what kind of personal relationship should be legally recognized as a marriage relationship should be first discussed in the legislative body.
The ruling is "very regrettable," the petitioner said in a statement released through a group of lawyers. "We will continue to fight."
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