Central Japan Railway to recognize employees’ same-sex partners

Central Japan Railway plans to extend to employees with same-sex partners spousal welfare benefits almost on par with those for heterosexual couples, sources familiar with the matter said Monday.
With the railway operator expanding its definition of a spouse to cover same-sex partners, the revamped initiative will be available to its roughly 19,000 employees from next July. The move follows the enforcement of a law on boosting understanding for sexual minorities in June 2023.
Central Japan Railway, also known as JR Central, employees with same-sex partners will be eligible for most spousal benefits, such as wedding gift money and allowances for living separately from partners, and being able to live in company housing for families, the sources said.
Details of the system, including whether applicants are required to submit certificates or other official documents for proof of same-sex partnership, or only have to report such relationship to the company, will be hammered out later, according to the sources.
JR Central has been treating employees’ partners in de facto marriages as their spouses since at least 2000. The upcoming move is apparently aimed at demonstrating the company’s respect for diversity.