Tokyo, Nov 5 (IANS): A municipality in Japan's capital of Tokyo on Thursday issued a certificate to a same-sex couple recognising their partnership as equivalent to marriage.
It's the first municipality in Japan to do so, public broadcaster NHK reported.
Same-sex couples aged 20 or older residing in the Shibuya municipality can apply for a certificate by submitting documents from a notary public.
The certificate is not legally binding, as Japan's Constitution does not recognise same-sex marriage.
But it obliges residents and businesses in Shibuya to treat certificate holders the same as married couples.