Canada said it granted refugee status to two Japanese women last September due to widespread discrimination they faced in Japan as lesbians and members of the weaker sex. Ottawa also cited the lack of legal marriage in Japan for same-sex couples as a reason to certify the couple as refugees, noting the couple was denied the benefits given under the Japanese system to those in opposite-sex marriages. Canadian immigration authorities said the fear of facing persecution in Japan held by the two women was grounded on a sufficient basis. One woman who goes by Eri is in her 30s and her partner Hana is in her 50s. They moved together to Canada in 2021 after experiencing discrimination in their community and in their workplaces. They now have permanent resident status in Canada.