Justice minister to submit separate-surnames bill to Diet next year

Wednesday 30th September, 06:42 AM JST

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NeoJamal at 09:59 AM JST - 30th September

This is long overdue for the interests of cultures, especially in conintental Asia where women who are expected to preserve their Matrilineal surnames.
nedinjapan at 11:18 AM JST - 30th September

I strongly agree. This custom remains from the time they used to own their wives like property. If i were a woman, I would never accept to omit the name I was known for 30 years and so to adopt the name of a person I may divorce in a couple of years! And what then? You would be stuch with a name you might hate!
Disillusioned at 11:55 AM JST - 30th September

For a moment there I thought I had traveled back in time to 1909, but then I realized I am in Japan and it is 2009.
bgaudry at 01:00 PM JST - 30th September

Women should take their husband's name. Isn't that just logical?
Foxie at 01:54 PM JST - 30th September

Good that they finally decided on that. To keep her own name, a woman has many legal advantages nowadays. Plus it is very bothersome when getting married to change your name on so many things.
kirakira25 at 02:44 PM JST - 30th September

As Foxie says, a total pain the butt trying to change your name, especially if your marriage certificate is in Japanee and you have thigns that need changing outside Japan.

Another good reason is professional reputation - many female doctors, professors and such-like build up a reputation in their fields and don`t want to then have to change their name.
sf2k at 02:56 PM JST - 30th September

Justice Minister is going to be very busy, passing all the laws needing upgrading since the 1960s.

BTW, if you're the husband and you are not born in Japan, does your name go on the family register or what happens there? That would at least match the names to the family connection
Yelnats at 03:44 PM JST - 30th September

It would make it so much easier when getting divorced, and since the Japanese are reaching the 50% mark on that, sounds perfect.
Osakadaz at 04:03 PM JST - 30th September

The whole naming 'koseki' thing is ridiculous though..a Japanese girl I know married my Nikei best friend..she then had to write his japanese name in Katakana because he is Nikei.

HUH????

she then had to change that to kanji by deedpoll. I can understand though, that if a girl named Kayo married a man with the surname Oba she would become Obakayo.There may be some embarrassing results but i still think hyphenating a name is better than two separate names.
fishy at 04:22 PM JST - 30th September

sometimes men take wives lastname... muko youshi :) either way, i personally think married couples should share the same last name.. its just my opinion. i am sure there are people who are against the idea, so it might be good that people can choose.
fishy at 04:24 PM JST - 30th September

Osakadaz - Oba Kayo... that's finny!! I know a girl named Oda Mari -- means shut up!
Gwenny at 12:19 AM JST - 1st October

We've been doing this in the States for decades and it mostly works all right. Sometimes children get odd names. Other times the children take the name of one parent. I think it will work out well for you.
mnemosyne23 at 12:26 AM JST - 1st October

The point of this legislation is not to ban a woman taking her husband's surname. This legislation is about having the CHOICE of taking a new name, keeping your own name, or (presumably) hyphenating the two. Celebrities do it all the time, continuing to use their unmarried names as stage names even after they've gotten married and had it changed on the register. I fully expect that the majority of women would continue to follow the traditional practice of taking their husband's name; that would be my choice. This bill would simply allow a woman (or man for that matter) to exercise a personal preference rather than follow a legal mandate.
Brantastik at 04:15 PM JST - 1st October

@sf2k

That needs upgrading to today's super fantastic standards? Because you know, the current status of this world is so great. C'mon dude, I really doubt there will be major changes to anything. At most, there will be subtle changes and revisions.

Japan is fine the way it was and is with the expected few exceptions. Let's not beg for change just because it goes against anybody's personal ideals. Our Western Nations that are supposed to be so great are in actual fact a mess but the excepted perception is that the ways of the West is best, which is complete nonsense.

I personally hope Japan remains typically "Japan".
BlackOut at 04:23 PM JST - 1st October

i am a bit confusing here.

me any my wife are currently using a difference family names.

how's that happen?!!!