Japan: High-profile Japanese businesswoman Kazuyo Katsuma announces she is in same-sex relationship

One of the nation’s most influential businesswoman on Monday surprised many of the country’s working women by disclosing she is in same-sex relationship, possibly a game-changing milestone in the nation’s slow but growing acceptance of sexual minorities.

Kazuyo Katsuma, a 49-year-old mother of three, was on the Wall Street Journal’s list of “The 50 Women to Watch” in 2005 for gaining “legions of fans among Japanese working mothers” through the management of an online forum for working mothers. Her fans are known as “Katsumer,” which was nominated as the 2009 buzzword of the year.

In an interview with the website BuzzFeed Japan, Katsuma said she has been living with Hiroko Masuhara, a 40-year-old activist for the rights of lesbians, gays, bisexual and transgender people.

“I kept the lid on my feelings of attraction to members of the same sex,” said Katsuma, who has authored a number of best-selling books. According to her website, more than 5 million copies of her books on work-life balance, self-management and other topics have been published. “After I met Hiroko, the ice in my heart melted, although it took a few years,” she said. “I hope this interview article will cheer up someone and trigger a change.”

Acceptance of same-sex unions has begun to spread slowly in Japan, although legal marriage still remains limited to the union of a man and a woman. Read more via Japan Times