Thousands march in Jerusalem Pride parade
Thousands of people marched in Jerusalem's Pride parade on Thursday, June 1. The march was the conservative city's first under Israel's current nationalist, far-right government. Prime Minister Netanyahu was openly jeered during the march, according to the Associated Press, though he has promised to protect LGBT+ rights.

Netanyahu's government contains members of ultra-Orthodox, theocratic parties that openly oppose homosexuality, like the nation's minister of finance, Bezalel Smotrich, who was quoted in January as saying, "I might be a far-right person, a homophobe, racist, fascist, but my word is my bond."

Many in the parade also protested Netanyahu's judicial overhaul plan, and opposition leader Yair Lapid made a speech during the march.

"There isn't one struggle in Israel for democracy, and another one for LGBTQ+ rights," said Lapid. "It's the same struggle against the same enemies in the name of the same values."

Japanese district court upholds ban on same-sex marriage
The Fukuoka District Court upheld Japan's ban on same-sex unions on June 8, only one week after the Nagoya District Court abolished the ban and declared it unconstitutional.

The latest decision is one of five rulings on same-sex unions in Japan over the past two years. The only court so far to rule that the ban was in line with Japan's constitution was the Osaka District Court in June of 2022.

The Fukuoka ruling is similar to the decision of the Tokyo District Court in November 2022, which upheld the ban but said a lack of legal protection for same-sex partners is a violation of human rights. The Fukuoka court cited a clause in the Japanese constitution that says family matters are based on individual dignity.

Despite the ban's continuation, activists remain hopeful. Masahiro, an activist and plaintiff in the case, spoke to a press conference, calling the ruling "a step forward."

"Four of the five rulings have either found [banning] same-sex marriage is unconstitutional or is at odds with part of the constitution," he said.

According to Reuters, opinion polls show that roughly 70% of the Japanese public supports same-sex unions.