Fridae

A female-to-male transsexual in Japan went to court last week on behalf of himself and five other transsexuals to demand the right to change his name on the official koseki, or family register at their local government office, reports Japan Today.

Thirtyseven-year-old Japanese writer Masae Torai underwent a sex change operation in the US twelve years ago and thought that he was finally released him from the female body he had never wanted.

However, when he returned to his homeland, he realised that he is still listed as his family's eldest daughter in the family register and a woman in legal documents.

Sex-change operations had effectively been banned in Japan until 1996. Since 1996, there is no legislation in place to help transsexuals have their new names and gender recognised. As a result, transsexuals are evicted by landlords, refused employment and often harassed when they show identification that states their pre-operative gender.

Under current laws, local registrars are left to decide whether changes can be made to original entries and are only meant to do so if a mistake in the gender has been made. Transsexuals are also banned from marrying people of the opposite sex as on paper it would be a same sex union, which is not recognised in Japan.

While Torai tried unsuccessfully to have his new identity recognised a year after her operation, he is now back with an army of respected lawyers, medical experts and co-complainants to try again. Although he does not feel too optimistic of winning the case, he hopes to open a chink in the wall of indifference.