Discussion
On June 19, 2025, the 2nd Korea-Japan Future Seminar was held online. With an audience of around 20 participants, Miyata Riri, a postdoctoral fellow at the Center for Human Rights Studies at Osaka Metropolitan University, gave a presentation titled "Transgender People in Japan and Issues in Society."
Following the presentation, a Q&A session was held with the audience. There was active discussion on a variety of topics, including the participation of gender minorities other than transgender people—such as non-binary individuals—in community activities; differences and outcomes between Tokyo-based and Osaka-based activist movements; practical approaches to transgender activism; and the current realities faced by sex workers in Japan, where sex work is criminalized.
Particularly notable were discussions on the potential of regionally grounded community activities in the Osaka area, and concerns about the increasing stigma faced by sex workers in a legal context where only the Prostitution Prevention Law exists. Additional topics included criticism of transgender athletes in the world of sports, controversies over women-only spaces as seen on social media, and the rise of transphobia. These discussions concluded the session.
