ABSTRACT
The Japanese Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) community is not an isolated entity but is increasingly becoming an integral part of the dynamic world around it. The 59 non-Japanese participants are also an integral part of the Japanese LGBTQ+ community, no matter how small a minority they may be at present. From the perspective of the diaspora, 59 participants point out areas that are difficult for Japanese to see and discuss their experiences in Japan. Their observations are insightful and help us comparatively understand the Japanese LGBTQ+ community as embedded in Japanese society and culture around it. Chia-hao is originally from Taiwan and one of the few participants who was in Japan when the pandemic hit the country and he returned to Taiwan. Some case studies, mostly of participants from Asian countries, suggested a comparative easiness of being an LGBTQ+ person in Japan. Rather their lives in Japan were affected by racist attitudes toward them.
