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On Nov. 4 at the William S. Richardson School of Law, the Asian-Pacific Law and Policy Journal (APLPJ) and Lambda Law Student Association co-sponsored a seminar titled “Baehr v. Lewin Revisited: Japan’s Same-Sex Marriage Cases and the Fight for Constitutional Protections of Marriage Equality”. The event featured distinguished speakers, including Hawaiʻi Supreme Court Associate Justice Sabrina Shizue McKenna ’82, former Associate Justice Steven H. Levinson and Dr. Brandon Marc Higa ’19 J.D. & ’24 S.J.D.
Dean Camille Nelson delivered the opening address, highlighting the importance of comparative law and the timeliness of this discussion with Constitutional Amendment One on the ballot for Hawaiʻi voters. Joshua D. Faumuina ’26 gave the introductory remarks, presenting this seminar as an extension to his co-authored publication in APLPJ on Japan’s same-sex marriage case, and an opportunity to celebrate the recent victory in the Tōkyō High Court, which recognized the same-sex marriage ban as unconstitutional under equal protections grounds.
“We were delighted to host this important conversation, which could not have been more timely. It is demonstrative of the interconnections between places jurisprudentially, historically, and contemporarily,” Dean Nelson said. “As the law continues to shift in dynamic ways, ensuring protections for inclusive justice calls for excellent lawyering, as is the hallmark of our mission at the William S. Richardson School of Law.”
This event inspired a lively debate regarding Hawaiʻi’s landmark Baehr v. Lewin case, which set the stage for global conversations on the constitutionality of same-sex marriage, influencing similar discussions in Japan. This event attracted 50 attendees, including pre-law majors interested in future careers in law at Richardson, current law students and attorneys who received continuing legal education credits from the Hawaiʻi State Bar Association.
“This event is a testament to the dedication of our students, who brought this critical conversation to our law school at such a pivotal time in the global movement for marriage equality,” Dr. Higa said. “The ripple effects of Baehr v. Lewin continue to resonate, illustrating the historic evolution of marriage equality laws in Hawaiʻi and the U.S.”
APLPJ Co-Editors-in-Chief Edward Stern and Jennifer Tse, alongside Lambda President Jessie Ho, expressed gratitude to those who made the event possible. Special thanks were extended to Professor Mark A. Levin, Director of the Mānoa Center for Japanese Studies, Cathy Betts of the Hawaiʻi State Bar Association and the William S. Richardson School of Law Alumni Association for their sponsorship and support.