Japan court OKs family name change for man in same-sex relationship

A Japanese family court has allowed a man living with a same-sex partner to adopt the same family name as his partner, judging that the two are in a relationship similar to marriage, the man said Thursday.The man in his 30s, who wished to be referred to by the pseudonym Akikazu Takami, said he was happy that the Nagoya Family Court in its March 14 ruling had dealt with the issue "sincerely."Takami's lawyer said such a decision accepting a surname change for a same-sex couple on the basis that they are judged to be in a marriage-like relationship is "rare.""The decision is expected to broade…READ FULL ARTICLE