News No dual surnames for married couples in Japan

[thomas]

The recent Lower House election saw increased support for political parties advocating for the right of married couples to maintain separate surnames. This political momentum could pave the way for further discussions on this issue within the Japanese Diet. However, despite this progress, couples who desire to retain their surnames remain concerned about the "stubborn persistence of conservative opinions."


Mainichi about a couple that divorced over the issue of their family names but still lives together:

Yoroku: 2025 a year to finally introduce a selective surname system in Japan - The Mainichi

Sapporo residents Mana Sato, 37, and Kiyotaka Nishi, 32, a couple pushing Japan to adopt a selective surname system for married couples, welcomed the

mainichi.jp

 

[thomas]

At the urging of its junior coalition partner, the ruling LDP plans to resume discussions on the "neglected" issue of whether married couples should be allowed to use separate surnames. LDP Secretary-General Hiroshi Moriyama told a news conference on 7 January that the party will restart deliberations with its working team on the family name system "as soon as possible."

LDP to resume talks on letting couples use dual surnames | The Asahi Shimbun: Breaking News, Japan News and Analysis

Planning, considering, mulling, deliberating, as soon as possible ..... Get it done already!

 

[thomas]

The latest survey on the issue was conducted by the Cabinet Office between 26 September and 3 November 2024.

I used AI to extrapolate the numbers:


Dual Surname Debate:

• Increased Personal Stake: 2.7% more people feel personally invested in the surname debate than in 2022.
• Less Distant Issue: 0.9% fewer people see the issue as irrelevant to them (now 53.2%).
• Using Former Surname at Work (if married):43.3% would want to (up 4.2%), the highest since 2016. 55.2% wouldn't.
  • Men: 47.7% want to.
  • Women: 39.6% want to.
  • 30s: 57.8% want to.
  • 40s: 48.0% want to.
  • 50s: 48.2% want to.

Gender Equality:

• Overall: Only 16.7% believe men and women have equal status.
• Politics: 9.4% believe there's equality.
• Social Norms/Customs: 16.3% believe there's equality.
• Family Life: 30.0% believe there's equality.
• Workplace: 25.8% believe there's equality.

Men in Childcare/Caregiving:

• Top Needs:
  • Workplace understanding (67.8%).
  • Men overcoming reluctance (63.1%).
  • Spousal communication (60.9%).

Survey Details:

• 5,000 people (18+) surveyed.
• 53.5% response rate.

44% in Japan feel they might be affected by dual-surname debate

The possible introduction of a selective dual-surname system was one of the key issues in last year's election for the leadership of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party.

www.japantimes.co.jp

 

[dracuella]

Gender Equality:

• Overall: Only 16.7% believe men and women have equal status.
• Politics: 9.4% believe there's equality.
• Social Norms/Customs: 16.3% believe there's equality.
• Family Life: 30.0% believe there's equality.
• Workplace: 25.8% believe there's equality.

Those are some pretty low numbers. So people are aware of inequality between the genders but no one really does anything about it? It'd be interesting to see the demographics of the group interviewed - I imagine it'd differ somewhat depending on age and location.

Those of you living or having lived in Japan is this something you've experienced? I know most of you are guys but did your wives/girlfriends/daughters/coworkers ever experience anything that made you think twice? Never having lived there I don't have much but hearsay to rely on. Even my Japanese teacher, some 25 years ago, would just wring her hands apologetically and say something akin to, "things are different in Japan" when we probed her about it.

My only other reference is an old Japanese class mate who jokingly claimed she knew she had to marry her Danish bf and move to Denmark when she came home and he'd cleaned her house and cooked her dinner - "no Japanese man would ever do that for me!!!" xD

 

[mdchachi]

Those of you living or having lived in Japan is this something you've experienced? I know most of you are guys but did your wives/girlfriends/daughters/coworkers ever experience anything that made you think twice? Never having lived there I don't have much but hearsay to rely on. Even my Japanese teacher, some 25 years ago, would just wring her hands apologetically and say something akin to, "things are different in Japan" when we probed her about it.

I never thought too deeply about it since I was also raised in a patriarchal system. My mother worked outside the home but she also did most of the cooking and housework. But certainly in Japan when I lived there 25-30 years ago, it was like that and it still is now judging by the low penetration you can see in positions of management or politics and the large number of housewives who don't work outside the home.

The fact that they have female-only train cars and it wasn't odd or unusual for guys to be reading "newspapers" with pictures of naked women in them in plain sight on the train pointed to some differences in culture. I don't really have any personal stories to relate. It's probably similar to the #metoo movement. Even in the U.S. I'm sure almost every female has some story related to sexism or worse they could relate but they don't necessarily bring them up as a normal topic of conversation. I'm sure what you see in the news is just the tip of the iceberg. Like this recent guy in the U.S. who FAFO'd. (Note, while the c-word is maybe not so bad in the UK in the U.S. it's really bad. The guy should have known better drunk or not.)

 

[dracuella]

I never thought too deeply about it since I was also raised in a patriarchal system. My mother worked outside the home but she also did most of the cooking and housework. But certainly in Japan when I lived there 25-30 years ago, it was like that and it still is now judging by the low penetration you can see in positions of management or politics and the large number of housewives who don't work outside the home.

It used to be the same her, 40ish years ago, all the mothers would either work part time and take care of the family or be complete stay-at-home mothers. But women in leadership or managerial roles have really taken off the last 20 years; not least with the efforts of companies around the country wanting to have more balanced workplaces.
My first job was to a CEO who was trying to get more women into tech. I got hired straight out of school with another woman and didn't like that I was hired because of my gender. It wasn't until a lot later, I realised how little else he could do and how much he lobbied for women in general. I'm eternally grateful to him and all his efforts.

Even in the U.S. I'm sure almost every female has some story related to sexism or worse they could relate but they don't necessarily bring them up as a normal topic of conversation. I'm sure what you see in the news is just the tip of the iceberg.

Growing up, I thought guys behaving like that was pretty normal. I was always a bit callous about a lot of what happened to women and would have to stop myself from dismissing it with, "but that's just guys". Sure, what happened was annoying and sometimes awful but I didn't really think too much of it until #MeToo took off. About that time I was talking to a male friend who insisted not all women had 'war stories', and that #MeToo was blowing things way out of proportions. For fun I thought I'd make a list, just off the top of my head, but when I passed the first 10 bullet points ranging from guys groping my butt to someone jizzing on my handbag in a crammed Italian bus and a guy pinning me against the wall until I punched his gut, I realised that I was part of #MeToo, too. I didn't like that at all. And I live in a very safe country; I can't imagine what women elsewhere have happen to them.

 

[thomas]

Mainichi reports on a family where the mother and daughter had different surnames: a common-law marriage in which the husband and wife kept separate surnames without repercussions on their family life.

Opponents of a system allowing spouses to keep separate surnames in Japan often argue that children will suffer if their last name differs from their parents' -- a view gaining traction on social media. However, a woman who happily grew up with a last name different from her mother's shared her firsthand views on the misconception.

The 29-year-old woman surnamed Hara and her mother, 62-year-old Rie Matsushima, shared a photo with a Mainichi Shimbun reporter that showed their smiling family 25 years ago. Hara, then 4 years old, was seen happily posing for the picture. Hara is the last name shared with her father and differs from her mother's. Hara and her brother, four years younger than her, were born to a couple in a common-law marriage where they kept separate surnames. The siblings grew up in the city of Saitama, north of Tokyo. Nothing about the family stood out in particular; they were a very ordinary, close-knit unit. Every year during the two long holiday periods, they would go on family trips, travelling as far as Japan's southernmost Okinawa Prefecture and northernmost Hokkaido. On usual weekends, they would go camping and eat together in nature. For family birthdays, they would always gather around a cake to celebrate.

Opponents of the selective surname system, especially conservative members of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), have increasingly been raising concerns about the "welfare of children" as a reason for their opposition. However, families in which parents and children have different surnames already exist widely in Japan, not just among couples in common-law marriages. Divorce, remarriage and international marriages are not at all rare.

Japan woman, mom with different last names slam idea kids harmed by selective surnames - The Mainichi

TOKYO -- Opponents of a system allowing spouses to keep separate surnames in Japan often argue that children will suffer if their last name differs fr

mainichi.jp

 

[thomas]

The issue is getting a lot of traction, also thanks to the Japanese media. I am confident that the LDP dinosaurs cannot stem the tide forever.


First, Nikkei released a survey showing that support is increasing in Japan for allowing couples to retain their surnames after marriage. More than half of the married women surveyed stated they would have chosen this option if it had been available. In the online survey conducted before International Women's Day on Saturday, 63% of the 2,347 respondents across various age groups and genders agreed that separate family names should be an option. Among married respondents, 45% preferred keeping separate surnames, with the figure rising to 52% for married women alone.

Japanese law requires spouses to use the same family name. Women take their husband's surname about 95% of the time, according to Japan's Cabinet Office. "I think the survey shows that those who change the surnames often only do so because there's no other option," said attorney Masami Kittaka, an expert on the issue. If the option were available, 29% of respondents said they would want to go back to their original surname. Another 41% said they would not. Of them, 40% said it had been too long since they had taken their spouse's name, while 35% cited the likely hassle involved in making the switch. Unmarried respondents were asked if having the option to retain separate surnames would affect their decision whether to legally marry. While 8% of men said they would want to marry if they had the option, the figure jumped to 28% for women, reflecting greater frustration with the status quo.

And:

A 24-year-old respondent in Tokyo opted for a common-law marriage in 2023 because she did not want to change her name. "Your name is an important part of your identity, and it's valuable at work, too," she said. "If I changed my surname, I would have to move on to the next stage of my life as a different person."

Paywall alert:

Majority of married Japanese women wanted separate surnames: poll

Nikkei survey shows broad support for scrapping name change requirement

asia.nikkei.com

Moreover, 44% of Japanese lawmakers back a selective dual surname system:

A Jiji Press survey has found that 311, or 44%, of the 705 members of Japan's parliament believe the country should adopt a selective dual surname system for married couples. This number significantly surpasses the 18% of lawmakers who support expanding the use of maiden names or amending laws to grant legal recognition to them, as well as the 1% who advocate for maintaining the current system where couples share the same surname.

The survey, conducted in January and February, received valid responses from 472 members, or 67%. However, 233 lawmakers, or 33%, did not respond, with 80% belonging to the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). The response rate from the LDP was just 37%, much lower than the 80% to 100% response rates from other political parties. Notably, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and other cabinet members did not participate.

Some 44% of Japanese lawmakers back selective dual surname system

The figure far outstrips the 1% who said that the country should maintain its current same surname system.

www.japantimes.co.jp

 

[thomas]

I have never really understood the concept of "common-law marriages" (basically, non-statutory cohabitation of no legal significance), however, according to a recent survey conducted by a private organisation, nearly 30% of individuals in such common-law partnerships in Japan have opted against legal marriage due to the legal requirement to adopt a single surname, either their own or their partner's.

The poll, carried out by Asuniwa, a nongovernmental group promoting the option of separate surnames for married couples, revealed that the proportion was even higher among people in their twenties, reaching around 40%. Of those, over 60% indicated they would consider formal marriage if the law permitted couples to retain separate surnames.

While the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan calls for introducing the option of separate surnames, conservative members of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party oppose the move, fearing it would affect traditional family values. The NGO and Yuichiro Sakai, an associate professor at Keio University specializing in family sociology, conducted the online survey in March, covering 1,600 people aged 20 to 59, with 532 of them in common-law marriages, 538 legally married and 530 single. Using the survey results and government population data, they estimated that about 1.22 million people in their 20s to 50s are in common-law relationships in Japan, with 587,000 of them wishing to marry if separate surnames are allowed.

Japan surname law cited in 30% of common-law unions: survey - The Mainichi

TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Nearly 30 percent of people in common-law relationships in Japan have chosen not to marry because they do not want to change their ow

mainichi.jp

Link:

Asuniwa

Asuniwa is a Japanese non-governmental organisation that advocates for a society free from gender-based discrimination.

• JREF
• 5 May 2025
• Views: 551
• Category: Organizations

 

[Lothor]

Of those, over 60% indicated they would consider formal marriage if the law permitted couples to retain separate surnames.

With the small number of births out of wedlock and Japan's desire to increase the number of births, that would make the change in law a no-brainer, wouldn't it? Or does social conservatism trump common sense here?

 

[thomas]

It's a shame that a minority of "conservative lawmakers" so obstinately claws against something the majority of the Japanese supports. To conserve what exactly?

 

[dracuella]

It's a shame that a minority of "conservative lawmakers" so obstinately claws against something the majority of the Japanese supports. To conserve what exactly?

The illusion that the traditional idea of what makes a family, of how people want to live together is still how it is. It's the same people who don't want gay marriages and who think it's 'best for the children' that women are stay-at-home wives.
They should know when to quit, they're only embarrassing themselves with their anachronistic views.

 

[Achilles 1-1]

Just take the guys last name. It's traditional, and the guy is the head of the house, he's the alpha male (forgive the brain rot). I don't get why people feel they need to "spice things up" by arguing about what surname they should take. Having TWO surnames just makes it confusing, too.

 

[Achilles 1-1]

Well, if they don't have the same name at the least, how are people gonna know they're married when they first meet? Sure, you can look at the ring (If they even use a ring, that is), but rings are small, and easy to miss. Separate surnames are even worse than having two surnames.

 

[Lothor]

Whether a couple are married or not is none of your business.

 

[thomas]

Just take the guys last name. It's traditional, and the guy is the head of the house, he's the alpha male (forgive the brain rot). I don't get why people feel they need to "spice things up" by arguing about what surname they should take. Having TWO surnames just makes it confusing, too.

In the US, married couples also have the right to separate surnames. Their motivation is none of your concern. If you are interested, read the articles posted in this thread.

 

[mdchachi]

Well, if they don't have the same name at the least, how are people gonna know they're married when they first meet? Sure, you can look at the ring (If they even use a ring, that is), but rings are small, and easy to miss. Separate surnames are even worse than having two surnames.

First of all if you're meeting somebody as a couple they typically don't state their last names. It might go like this -- "this is my wife Rebecca." They don't say "I'm Jim Jones and here is Rebecca Jones." If you're meeting somebody by themselves they may say their last name when you first meet them but that wouldn't tell you if they're married or not. Assuming you have some need to know the marriage status of somebody you're meeting for the first time, their last name won't provide any additional information. And why would you even need to know if somebody is married or not when you first meet?

Just take the guys last name. It's traditional, and the guy is the head of the house, he's the alpha male (forgive the brain rot). I don't get why people feel they need to "spice things up" by arguing about what surname they should take. Having TWO surnames just makes it confusing, too.

All of these arguments are ridiculous.

Somehow over a billion people in China have managed to do this without too much confusion. Even though it's a patriarchal society, in China women keep their surnames. Usually children take the father's but it's not mandatory.

 

[Achilles 1-1]

To all the naysayers above, I asked twenty different people and they all agreed with me.

 

[mdchachi]

To all the naysayers above, I asked twenty different people and they all agreed with me.

You asked them specifically if Japanese people should enjoy the same right that Americans have -- to pick whatever surname they want -- and they said no, Japanese people should not have that right? Anyway you've already demonstrated that your family/community seem to have no problems trying to dictate what other people should do even when it shouldn't concern you and doesn't affect you.

 

[Achilles 1-1]

You asked them specifically if Japanese people should enjoy the same right that Americans have -- to pick whatever surname they want -- and they said no, Japanese people should not have that right? Anyway you've already demonstrated that your family/community seem to have no problems trying to dictate what other people should do even when it shouldn't concern you and doesn't affect you.

Nah, I asked if they should take the male persons name. We all think that should be the thing even here in America. Because to us (remember, we're just kids.), taking the wife's last name is like saying she's in charge.

Also… word of the day!

Edit: I asked my own MOTHER and she agreed with me.

 

[mdchachi]

Nah, I asked if they should take the male persons name. We all think that should be the thing even here in America. Because to us (remember, we're just kids.), taking the wife's last name is like saying she's in charge.

Also… word of the day!



Edit: I asked my own MOTHER and she agreed with me.

You're in one specific insular community so it's not very relevant if your community thinks one thing or another. It doesn't apply to other people.
You should be free to do what you want as others should be free to do what they want. Why is it so difficult for you to understand and get on board with this concept?

Also the issue is not taking the wife's last name. The issue at hand is allowing the wife to keep her own name.

 

[Achilles 1-1]

I will make one exception to my changing of my surname, and that is when I go through the process of naturalization to become a Japanese citizen, during which case if I'm married I will take my wife's last name.

 

[Achilles 1-1]

You're in one specific insular community so it's not very relevant if your community thinks one thing or another. It doesn't apply to other people.
You should be free to do what you want as others should be free to do what they want. Why is it so difficult for you to understand and get on board with this concept?

Also the issue is not taking the wife's last name. The issue at hand is allowing the wife to keep her own name.

Nobody is free to do exactly what they want. There are laws. No, I think women should take the mans last name, (except for that on exception I just listed.) keeping your last name just kinda says that you don't really care enough to take your spouses last name. It just seems disrespectful.

 

[mdchachi]

Nobody is free to do exactly what they want. There are laws. No, I think women should take the mans last name, (except for that on exception I just listed.) keeping your last name just kinda says that you don't really care enough to take your spouses last name. It just seems disrespectful.

Of course and we have laws that allow this. Your proposal is taking away a legal right we already have.
I'd say it's more disrespectful to force somebody to change their name when they don't want to.
Ironically you're adding an exception for yourself yet telling everyone else what they should do. If you're proposing such a rule there should be no exception for you and the Japanese person you marry should take your name.

 

[Achilles 1-1]

Of course and we have laws that allow this. Your proposal is taking away a legal right we already have.
I'd say it's more disrespectful to force somebody to change their name when they don't want to.
Ironically you're adding an exception for yourself yet telling everyone else what they should do. If you're proposing such a rule there should be no exception for you and the Japanese person you marry should take your name.

Go through the requirements for naturalization, you'll see where im coming from. It's legally required, unless I wanna make up my own. I'm not trynna obtain permanent residence status, rather just naturalize as soon as I can. (It's a shame they don't offer dual-citizenship, don't you think)