Gay union supporter elected mayor of Tokyo district

Hasebe, a politician who proposed recognition of same-sex unions in Tokyo's Shibuya district, became its new mayor on Monday, Efe news agency reported.

The final results of Sunday's district office elections revealed that Hasebe, who ran as an independent candidate, garnered more than 25,000 votes, around 40 percent of the total and around 3,000 more votes than the next candidate.

Hasebe, a married 43-year-old former advertising agency head, was elected to the Shibuya City Council in 2003 and is known for his successful proposal to recognise same-sex unions at the local level.

The City Council passed an ordinance on March 31 making Shibuya, a central district known for its eclectic and artistic atmosphere, Japan's first municipality to move toward equal recognition to homosexual and heterosexual unions.

Though certificates issued by Shibuya consider same-sex unions as different from marriage and are not legally binding, they do guarantee a status similar to that of marriage in regards to tax benefits and social services, among others.