The New York Times is pushing for Japan to embrace same-sex marriage, because the samurai allegedly engaged in same-sex liaisons “regularly” and Kabuki theater can involve cross-dressing.
In a lengthy article to accompany the Group of Seven summit in Hiroshima, the NYT railed against the relatively conservative, low-diversity country for being the only G7 member which has not legalized same-sex marriage, claiming it enjoys “overwhelming” support among the general public.
The NYT begins by taking aim at Shinto, the country’s ancient animist folk religion. It asserts that “the Shinto faith is not so much a spiritual practice as a cultural one” for “millions” of Japanese and that it has “no official dogma or scripture” – although Shinto does in fact have holy books, chiefly the Kojiki (‘Records of Ancient Matters’).