Rainbow City

Then, the mayor’s next words swayed several city council members — who were also members of the local Chamber of Commerce and Industry — to support the plan.

“If my proposal to make our city a leader in LGBTQ acceptance passes, we have already received an offer to open a reproductive medical facility here specifically for same-sex couples. If that comes to fruition, it could lead to job creation, economic revitalization, and ultimately, increased tax revenue for the city.”

From that point on, the city council became evenly split on the issue. Among the general public, however, the opposition remained an overwhelming majority.

An LGBTQ advocacy group headquartered in Tokyo caught wind of the situation and requested a meeting with the mayor. They had sent an open letter questioning whether the policy was actually intended to segregate the LGBTQ community.

The mayor invited reporters from national newspapers, nationwide television networks, and online media outlets to witness a public Q&A session with the group.

During the session, held at the city’s cultural center, the group’s representative — an intelligent-looking woman who appeared to be in her thirties — was the first to question the mayor on his true intentions.

“Isn’t the underlying message here that LGBTQ people should leave central Tokyo and come live in this city instead?”

The male consultant answered the question first.

“The sole purpose of this proposal is to provide LGBTQ individuals with respective dedicated residential areas where they can live with peace of mind. We have absolutely no intention of discriminating against or segregating anyone.”

A young gay man, the group’s deputy representative, then asked a follow-up question.

“Then why are the residential zones separated for each LGBTQ group?”

“We determined that separating the zones is the best approach to allow sexual minorities to coexist with other groups — including heterosexuals — while respecting everyone’s privacy and accommodating individual preferences. Besides, the choice of residential zone is merely a recommendation; it is by no means mandatory.”

The previously hostile expressions of the LGBTQ group participants softened.

A young female member — who appeared to be in her twenties — asked a question hesitantly.

“It seems that only the lesbian-exclusive zone has stricter security measures and police box placement compared to the other zones. What is the reasoning behind this?”