Yeah, basically the only things gays and lesbians can do in Japan is be homosexual without being arrested for it, and marry citizens of countries that allow it.
This one is a sarcasm, right? I'm bad in catching those right. Because, can you get arrested for your sexuality in Japan?
-- Well.. There's no way all these yuri magazines can be published freely there if so..
No, what I said is you CAN'T get arrested just for being homosexual in Japan. Unlike say, England up until the late 60's or so.
To lay it out clearly, being homosexual is legal. Pretty much everything else (marriage, adoption, IVF, etc.) is not permitted. However a Japanese citizen can marry the same-sex citizen of a country where SSM is legal (say, a Japanese woman can now marry an Irish woman). But two Japanese women can't go to Ireland, get married to each other, and have it recognized as valid.