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Gives Gays Short Shrift |
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By Rex Wockner
International News Report The Japanese Justice Ministry's Council of Human Rights Promotion has given gays short shrift in proposals designed to update the nation's human-rights protection mechanisms, says OCCUR, Tokyo's Association for the Lesbian and Gay Movement
 Gay Japanese like members of Japan's Bear Club may not be left behind when the country's Council of Human Rights makes its proposals The council has proposed an independent National Human Rights Commission to tackle human-rights problems and protect vulnerable groups of people. The proposal says the HRC will take action against human-rights violations based on race, disability, health, sex, beliefs, social status and birth. Elsewhere in the document, the council added that "sexual orientation, etc." will be investigated to determine if it should be included on the list. "We appreciate the council for including the words 'sexual orientation, etc.' in their report, but we are very concerned about the results of the council investigation," said OCCUR's Masaki Inaba. "If, after their investigation, the council decides that positive action should not be taken by HRC against the violation of human rights based on 'sexual orientation, etc.,' this will mean that LGBTIs will not be able to receive any support or assistance from the new HRC."
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