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In a first for Japan, Supreme Court judge to use maiden name

14 Comments
By Kyoko Hasegawa

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14 Comments
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If this judge got law degree and qualified as an attorney before marriage, her maiden name will stick unless she take examination again after marriage. Similar with people who earn degrees in American Univ. Records in Japan treat you like you are 20 yrs old unmarried child if you notify you are old. retired.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Married couples in Japan are required to have a common surname under a law..

Except when a gaijin is married to a Japanese, where the Japanese partner can keep his/her family name. Isn't it a quite discriminatory exception to the rule?

4 ( +4 / -0 )

When Meiji Ishin ordered all Japanese people to have family name, Ishin promoters decided they would have one more name. Thus, Kogorou Katsura had second name Kouin Kido. The person who designed Military system, Zoroku Murata became Masujirou Ohmura. He was assassinated but his statue is in Yasukuni Shrine, Kido is grandfather of Abe's Abeside Grandfather. So, this judge is not the first Japanese who have two names.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Some change or changed to his wife's family name. Youshi. It is not rare in Yamaguchi prefecture.

Example. Abe's maternal grandfather was born in Satoh family. He became Nobusuke Kishi. His younger brother was Eisaku Satoh. Both of them were Japanese prime ministers. Kishi was using his wife's family name.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Also, some companies and organizations now allow the continued use of the ore-marriage name, and self-employed people can also. So no, it’s not just her

Then why the legal case?

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Social conservatives defend the law as crucial to maintaining Japan's traditional family structure

Bah! The traditional family structure and family morals went out the window a long time ago in many countries like Japan ever since wives suffered domestic abuse, people were getting married and divorced willy-nilly, women getting pregnant before marriage (and in the case of Japan - then getting married, giving birth, then divorcing), and married people having affairs.

And usually, these conservative critics are the ones committing all these acts, the same way republicans are shouting out family values while having secret affairs and using rent-boys.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

So, she can do it but others can't? And she is a judge no less?

Oh and one thing not mentioned in the article, yeah we can make an assumption, but it's not clear, is while she is using her maiden name, their is no mention of which "name" she was registered under when she got married.

Yes we can assume it's her husbands, but if that is true the case that is in the court now makes no sense to me, as it would make it appear that she is flaunting the law in a manner of speaking.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

Bungle - I understand your point as a counter to feminist arguments but emotionally I can't help but feel the name I have had since birth has become part of my identity and I struggle with the idea of giving it up.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

Bungle, feminists aren’t known for their logic skills for a reason.

-5 ( +2 / -7 )

I have met Miyazaki-sensei. An amazing lawyer and a credit to her profession. Which is saying something.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

That which we call a rose,

By any other name would smell as sweet.

OTOH, unless you tell your landscaper you specifically want roses in your garden, you may end up getting Skunk Lillies, which don't smell as sweet.

So names do matter.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

"what's in a name?

That which we call a rose,

By any other name would smell as sweet.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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