Japan's Supreme Court today ruled that a law requiring transgender people to undergo surgery to have their gender officially recognised was in violation of the Constitution. The 2003 law states that for people to have their gender recognised on family registries and other official documents must have their reproductive organs removed, thus rendering them sterile.<br />''<br />''The 15 judges of the top court reportedly were unanimous in their decision that the law was unconstitutional. The case came before the Supreme Court after a transgender woman who wanted to have her gender changed in her family registry was rejected by a lower court.<br />''<br />''<span style="color: #222222;">According to media reports, more than 10,000 people have changed their officially recognised genders since the law requiring surgery came into effect.</span><br />