Koyuki Higashi, right, and Hiroko Masuhara, a rare visible and vocal lesbian couple in Japan, smile with a rainbow banner reading: « Thank you, Shibuya » in front of Shibuya ward office in Tokyo after Shibuya ward became the first locale in Japan to recognize same sex partnerships as the « equivalent of a marriage, » guaranteeing the identical rights of married couples with a landmark vote by the ward assembly Tuesday, March 31, 2015. The couple said they moved to Shibuya four months ago, just to apply for a same sex marriage certificate. They have been together for three years, and held a symbolic wedding at Tokyo DisneySea two years ago. (AP Photo/Yuri Kageyama)