Japan's top court says forcing couples to share surname is constitutional
The latest decision on a more than century-old provision based on the Civil Code and the family register law dismissed requests filed by three couples to keep their separate surnames.
Japan's new Olympic minister comes under fire for opposing dual surnames
Conservative lawmakers of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party have asked local assembly members in writing to prevent the adoption of petitions calling for a selective dual surname system.
LDP lawmakers to shun move to support separate surnames in Japan
The politicians, including the minister in charge of gender equality, say that a change could result in the collapse of the social system.
Opposition party pushing divided LDP over separate surnames in Japan
A recent survey of people under 60 has shown more than 70% of respondents were supportive of having the option of separate surnames.
Japan to ease requirements for having birth names on passports
From April, the government will no longer ask a passport applicant to submit documents proving the need to use their birth names, including middle names.
Japan shuns different surnames for married couples in gender policy
The new five-year policy also pushed back the goal of having women occupy around 30% of managerial positions to "as early as possible in the 2020s."
The names, for boys and girls respectively, rose from fourth and second place the previous year, a survey has shown.
Suga’s remark sparks hope for letting married couples use different surnames
When Suga was asked about his past call for creating the option, he said, "As a politician, I bear a responsibility as I have said such things."
Worried about coronavirus, unmarried couples pursue legal protection
Without being formally married, couples risk losing hospital visitation rights and permission to give medical consent.
Tokyo High Court rejects appeal over law forcing Japanese couples to use same surname after marriage
The Tokyo High Court on Wednesday rejected a damages suit filed by four people arguing that a national law forcing couples to use the same surname after marriage is unconstitutional. Yoshihisa Aono, the 48-year-old president of software development firm Cybozu Inc., and three others had ...
Japan to improve how its passports show birth names of married citizens
The Foreign Ministry will change the way it records birth names in passports for those who adopt the surname of their spouse, in order to display both names more clearly, Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said Wednesday. "The current method of using parentheses makes it hard ...
Heckling at Diet meeting may spur dual surname debate in Japan's LDP
The party’s Fumio Kishida has said that “we should hold discussions as needed” on whether to allow married couples to continue using their respective surnames.
