Panasonic in Japan are to recognise same-sex partnerships to bring them in line with the Olympic Charter ©ITG

Olympic sponsor Panasonic is to start recognising same-sex partnerships among its employees from April in a move designed to ensure that it is in line with the Olympic Charter by the time Tokyo hosts the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2020.

Same-sex partnerships are currently not legal in Japan. 

The decision by Panasonic, a member of the The Olympic Programme (TOP) sponsorship scheme in the category for audio, television and video equipment since 1987, followed a campaign run by several of the company's employees, Japanese newspaper the Mainichi Shimbun reported.

It is believed that the decision means that those in same-sex marriages employed by Panasonic, founded in Osaka in 1918, will share many of the benefits that those in traditional marriages do.

These are expected to include benefits like childcare leave and health insurance.

A small but growing number of cities in Japan have legalised same-sex partnerships, although these have no legal status in the rest of the country.

According to a survey published last November, 51 per cent of Japanese polled were in favour of same-sex marriage. 

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The build-up to the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi was overshadowed by protests over Russia's controversial anti-gay law ©Getty Images

Principle six of the Olympic Charter states: "The enjoyment of the rights and freedoms set forth in this Olympic Charter shall be secured without discrimination of any kind, such as race, colour, sex, sexual orientation, language, religion, political or other opinion, national or social origin, property, birth or other status."

In January 2014 the "Principle 6 campaign" was launched by a number of  lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) groups before Sochi 2014 to protest against Russia's anti-gay laws. 

There were several calls for countries to boycott the Winter Olympics over the controversial legislation.

Among the most high-profile protests was when Google changed its front page logo to a rainbow-coloured graphic with pictograms of sports linking to a search for "Olympic Charter", and placed a quote from the Charter on the page as well.

Another high-profile protest was when Cheryl Maas, one of six reportedly outed competitors in the Games, made the first display of LGBT "propaganda" in solidarity with Russian LGBT persons.

Following her attempt to qualify in the slopestyle event, the Dutchwoman, who is openly married to another woman, raised her glove bearing a rainbow and a unicorn to the cameras.