Hokkaido sees first sex change operations

mdn.Mainichi-msn.co.jp

Sapporo – Two people suffering from a gender identity disorder have successfully undergone sex change operations at Sapporo Medical University, marking the first such cases in Hokkaido, officials said on Tuesday.

The two patients, both biologically male, underwent the operations on June 28 and July 11, respectively.

Both patients are 42 years old and from Sapporo.

They had reportedly felt uncomfortable with their gender since childhood, and began seeing doctors at the medical university in 2003.

The university’s ethic committee approved the sex change operations on May 30. The go-ahead was given because officials believed other types of treatment would not cure the gender identity disorder and because the patients’ families were ready to support them after the operations.

The patients were released from hospital after recovering for two weeks. (Mainichi)