10 Portraits of J-Pop Idol Shinjiro Atae who came out as gay, once afraid of not being accepted by the public - Now considered as a positive representation of LGBTQ+ in Japan

Shinjiro Atae has released a new song titled 'Into the Light' to celebrate his historic moment of coming out as gay. Recently, he thanked fans for the "incredible positive reaction" to his confession through an Instagram post.

He stated that a portion of the profits from his new song will be donated to Pride House Tokyo, the first LGBTQ+ center in Japan, and ReBit, an organization that supports LGBTQ+ youth.

In his 18-year career, Shinjiro Atae himself is known as a successful star, including having a No.1 album in Japan, along with three singles that also reached the top spot.

Shinjiro Atae's confession has been positively received as it is expected to boost inclusivity in the entertainment industry and domestic politics of Japan, as one of the Group of Seven (G7) countries that lacks legal protection for same-sex unions.

Shinjiro Atae said that it took him a long time to accept that he is gay. The singer worried about how the public would accept his confession as an artist.

"It took me a long time to be able to say that I am gay. I couldn't even say it to myself. I was afraid that even though I could accept the truth, the world would never accept me as an artist. However, I realized that it would be better, both for me and for the people I love, including my fans, to live a life without falsehood than to live a life that never accepts who I really am. I hope that people who struggle with the same feelings will find courage and know that they are not alone," Shinjiro Atae expressed.

However, this is not the first time Shinjiro Atae has advocated for social issues that are close to his personal life. In 2022, he released a book called 'Every Life Is Correct, But Incorrect'.

The book, which discusses mental health issues in Japan, quickly became a bestseller in the country, and Shinjiro Atae received significant praise for his honest writing.

Now, with his courage to openly identify as a gay man, Shinjiro Atae is also considered a positive representation of LGBTQ+ in Japan.

The 34-year-old singer hopes that his story will inspire and empower others who are also like him to embrace their true selves.