A man seeking entrance to a women's university in Fukuoka, southwestern Japan, filed a damages lawsuit Monday, arguing the public college's rejection of his application amounts to gender discrimination and is unconstitutional.
In a complaint filed with the Fukuoka District Court, the man in his 20s is demanding Fukuoka Women's University accept his entry application and pay 660,000 yen (about 183,500 baht) in compensation.
It is the first time in Japan that a lawsuit has been filed against a national or public women's university questioning its constitutionality, according to the man's lawyer.
The complaint says the man, who wants to be a dietitian and managerial dietitian, submitted an application in November last year to take an entrance exam for the college's department of nutrition and health science.
The college refused to accept his application, saying it only admits entrance to women, according to the complaint.
Fukuoka Women's University is the only national or public university in Fukuoka Prefecture that offers courses to obtain certification for a nutritionist and qualification to sit an exam to become a managerial dietitian.
"A public university is a public entity that is being maintained by tax," the man said in his complaint. "If my application is rejected, the path to become a dietitian would be narrow as I will be forced to go to a university outside the prefecture or a private college."
The man argues the university's decision violates the constitution, which stipulates the principle of equality and the right to receive an education.