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TOKYO, JAPAN - NOV. 5: Tokyo's Shibuya Ward on Thursday became Japan's first local government to issue certificates recognizing same-sex partnership as being equivalent to marriage in a bid to eliminate discrimination against sexual minorities. Although the papers are not legally binding, the Shibuya Ward Office requests hospitals and businesses including real estate firms to treat holders of the certificates in the same way as married couples based on its ordinance. If they violate the ordinance and do not comply with requests to change their practices, their names will be disclosed to the public. The first couple to receive the certificate were Koyuki Higashi, 30, a former member of the all-woman Takarazuka Revue troupe, and 37-year-old entrepreneur Hiroko Masuhara.Couples applying for the certificate must be at least 20 years old and residents of Shibuya Ward. Before the application, they have to make a notary document stating that their relationship is based on love and mutual trust. The Shibuya Ward Office started accepting applications on Oct. 28 and received one application by Wednesday. Setagaya, another ward in Tokyo, also started accepting oaths by same-sex couples on Thursday. If one member of such a couple lives in Setagaya, they can apply for papers authenticating their pledge.