OSAKA -- The Osaka District Court on July 4 recognized an African man in his 30s who fled to Japan from his own country fearing persecution for his homosexuality as a refugee, overturning a government decision not to grant him asylum.

According to the man's complaint and other sources, his country bans same-sex sexual acts. After his family found out that he was gay, he was confined in his home and beaten by his father and younger brother. He came to Japan in 2019 and applied for refugee status, but the government rejected his application, prompting him to file a lawsuit objecting to the decision.

In the lawsuit, the man argued that his fear of persecution could be sufficiently recognized, and that he couldn't hope for protection in his home country. The government denied the credibility of his claim, and stated, "It cannot be accepted that there are fears he would be persecuted immediately," and called for his case to be dismissed.

(Japanese original by Ryoko Kijima, and Keiko Shioji, Osaka City News Department)