Japan legalizes gender change

TOKYO, July 16 (UPI) -- Japan introduced a law Friday to allow changes in the registered gender of individuals, with four people applying immediately to change their status.

So far, three people in the Tokyo courts and one person in Nagoya have taken advantage of the legal change. The government will allow people to change the registration of their sex provided they are over 20 years old, single, without children, and have undergone sex change operations. They must also provide proof of their altered sexuality signed by at least two doctors.

Japanese media estimate that there are several thousand people in the country who have or are considering changing their gender.