Nintendo introduces partnership benefits for same-sex couples, common law marriages

In an update regarding Nintendo Japan’s corporate social responsibilities, it has been revealed that the company introduced a partnership system in March 2021.

This system introduced benefits for same-sex couples and heterosexual couples in common law marriages, treating them in the same way as legal marriages in order to support a wider range of employees. The update reads (notable passages italicized for emphasis):

“We introduced the Partnership System in March 2021 as one initiative based on this philosophy. Although same-sex marriages are not currently recognized under Japanese law, this system ensures employees who are in a domestic partnership with a same-sex partner have the same benefits as employees in an opposite-sex marriage. We have also established that a common-law marriage between couples will be observed in the same way as a legal marriage.”

The same update emphasized the company’s Code of Conduct on discrimination noting that “we do not discriminate based on race, ethnicity, nationality, ideology, religion, creed, origin, social status, class, occupation, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation, or gender identity.”  The company has also revised their internal regulations to “prohibit discriminatory comments based on sexual orientation or gender identity, as well as disclosing someone’s privately held sexual orientation against their will.”

Nintendo Japan’s announcement arrives a month after a Japanese court continues to uphold Japan’s ban on same-sex marriage.

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