A Japanese poll has shown that one in ten identify as LGBTQ or another sexual minority.
The online survey was conducted by the Japan LGBT Research Institute, a Tokyo-based think tank that focuses on issues related to sexual minorities.
Japanese poll by the numbers
According to the survey, 2.8 survey had tagged themselves as bisexual. Meanwhile, 1.4 percent questioned their sexuality.
Interesting enough, those that described as asexual and gay were 0.9 percent for each.
Those that identified as nonbinary (not identifying as male or female) were 2.5 percent, transgender were 1.8 percent, and 1.2 percent questioned their gender identity.
Conducted in April and May on 428,000 people aged 20 to 69, the poll received 348,000 valid responses with ten percent of respondents identifying as LGBTQ or another sexual minority.
With the figure of 10 percent, the Japan LGBT Research Institute said that “our society needs to face (the reality) in a sincere manner.”
The survey defined sexual minorities as those who don’t identify as heterosexual cisgender.
Japanese poll show ‘invisible’ LGBTQ
A previous survey conducted by the think tank during the same period covering 2,578 people acknowledged that the presence of LGBTQ people is not well-recognized.
The survey noted that 83.9 percent said they are not aware of any LGBTQ people around them. This means around of 78% of Japanese LGBTQ were still in the closet.
The think tank said this matches other data that showed that about 78 percent of LGBTQ people haven’t told anyone about their sexual orientation or gender identity.
Meanwhile, 25 percent said they would come out if it wouldn’t affect their daily work and life. 40 percent said they didn’t need to come out if no harm was expected.
Moreover, almost half of the respondents said that both government and companies should make greater effort to make the environment better for them.
12 percent of them said their schools or companies had educational programs to improve understanding of LGBTQ and sexual minorities, an increase from 4.4 percent i 2016.
Japanese understanding of LGBTQ ‘poor’
The survey also noted that while most of Japan were familiar with LGBTQ, their understanding was still relatively poor.
In fact, while 91.0 percent were familiar with the acronym, only 57.1 correctly understood the meaning. However, this was an increase from 54.4 percent and 32.7 percent in previous survey.
More areas in Japan are also recognizing same-sex relationships, from 9 areas starting the year to 30.
Presently, local governments in Japan are implementing “partnership systems” that give same-sex couples the right to move into public housing as a couple, among others. This system is a guideline rather than an ordinance, which require voting.
Public support for same-sex marriage has also surged in the past few years. However, a survey by advertising giant Dentsu found that more than half of in Japanese gay men and lesbians were concerned about coming out.