#65 - Is There a Side B in Japan? Aogu Fujihashi, Kaz Okaya on LGBTQ & Church | LGBTQ+と教会：「サイドB」は日本にもあるのか—藤橋仰＆岡谷和作との対話

In conversations around Christian faith and sexuality, especially in the U.S., it can feel like everyone’s expected to pick a “side.” But it’s not the same—or at least the same lines being drawn—in other places.

In this episode, we talked with Aogu Fujihashi and Kaz Okaya about their experiences in the Japanese Christian context, where the conversation around LGBTQ+ identity looks a bit different. We talk about how a culture of conformity impacts same-sex marriage ideas in Japan, how American evangelicals influence Japanese churches, and the quiet struggles many queer Christians face in some church communities. Join us for a thoughtful look at what gets lost—or gained—in translation, on faith and sexuality, in Japan.

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Note: This episode uses the terms “Side A” and “Side B” (and X, Y) as shorthand quite a bit. If you’re new to the conversation, you might find it helpful to check out episode #3, where we talk through the four “sides”: ⁠#3 - A-B-Y-X | 4 Sides on SSA/Gay Sexuality⁠

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About Our Guests

Aogu Fujihashi is a gay Japanese Christian who served on staff with YWAM from 2020 to 2025, after volunteering with them in the 2011 tsunami relief efforts. He focuses on helping the Japanese church have healthier conversations about LGBTQ+ issues. Aogu helped edit the Japanese translation of Two Views on Homosexuality and wrote the foreword for Wesley Hill’s Washed and Waiting. He’s passionate about creating spaces where people can experience God’s love and live whole lives. He can be found on Instagram at @aogufuji.

Kazusa Okaya is a straight Japanese Christian, translator, and PhD student at Durham University. He translated Washed and Waiting and Andrew Marin’s Love Is an Orientation into Japanese and contributed to Two Views on Homosexuality. Kaz formerly served as an IFES (International Fellowship of Evangelical Students) staff worker in Japan (KGK - “Kirisutosha Gakusei Kai", which means “Fellowship of Christian Students”). As a former staff pastor in student ministry, Kaz has been a thoughtful voice in ongoing conversations about faith and sexuality in the Japanese church. He participates in conversations on faith and sexuality at Dream Party dialogue.

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★ Timestamps

(00:00) #65 - Aogu Fujihashi and Kaz Okaya, Japanese Christians on Faith and Sexuality Convos

(06:09) When the Japanese Christian bookstore has zero books on LGBTQ

(17:31) Challenges of translating: "Christians who wish to be faithful..."

(31:20) "Japan is the only G7 country that hasn't legalized same-sex marriage"

(41:26) What is an "evangelical" in Japan?

(44:21) How do Christians talk about being gay in Japan? Borrow US categories?

(57:17) Japanese Christians "coming out", but rarely to a pastor

(01:00:43) Kinship beyond marriage in Japan... is mainly outside the church (gang brotherhoods?)

(01:08:16) We hope to keep dialogue open between progressive/conservative Christians

(01:13:12) Who do we choose to dialogue with? When does it cause harm?

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★ Links and References

The Bible study for LGBTQ+ and same-sex attracted people that Aogu facilitates meets every other week in Shinjuku, Tokyo. Follow on Instagram: @shinjukubaisuta

Aogu Fujihashi has an occasionally updated blog at

https://aogufujihashi.wordpress.com/

Kaz has an article in Christianity Today: Japanese Evangelicalism Was Once Nationalistic (May 2025)

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★ Send us feedback, questions, comments, and support!

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