50 LDP lawmakers urge local members to oppose separate surnames

The lawmakers, in their written request, argue that separate surnames could result in the collapse of the social system.

Absolutely ridiculous!

My wife and I use our separate surnames and our family (as part of the social system) is doing fine. Old, archaic thinking is what will led to the collapse of the social system, not whether someone is allowed to retain their surname. As the saying goes...'What's in a name?'

The family unit in japan is already broken. The birthrate continues to plummet, people delaying or not getting married at all, divorce rate continues to climb, almost 50% of people in Tokyo live alone, at least 12% of housing stock in japan is empty, etc etc.

Nothing to do with what name one uses. More red herrings.

The lawmakers, in their written request, argue that separate surnames could result in the collapse of the social system.

This is probably the most ridiculous comment this month.

There are many foreigners marrying Japanese in Japan. In case of foreign male and Japanese female, Japanese female often keeps her maiden name in order not to have troubles in work. For example nurses. Especially older people, seeing foreign family name, refuse to be treated by such nurse, not knowing she is just married to a foreigner.

Facts and reasons aside, many couples have "separate surnames" here, and the social system does not collapse. And considering what a hassle it is here for female to change her surname, it'd better keep this as they are.

Dinosaurs clearly not living in the 21st century.

If men are legally allowed to change their names to their wives surname (as shown in an article here recently) there should be no barrier for women to retain their birth surname.

They genuinely believe that couples having different surnames will cause the collapse of society? They are not fit for office. My husband and I have different names, so I assume we are on a list of undesirables somewhere.

...and argue the move may have an impact on family unity as well as children.

If they're so concerned about family unity and children, perhaps they should have a look at dual custody and father's rights in this country.

Meanwhile, I (USA) did take my (Japan) husband's name. My passport, permanent residence card, etc all say

HIS NAME, MY FIRST MY MAIDEN so like (not real) Hashimoto, Jenny Smith

The credit card company issued my card H. Jenny Smith.

My legal last name is not on my credit card.

Apparently, society also breaks down when a white girl tries to have a Japanese surname (it's a joke guys)

The female in charge of female empowerment is against separate surnames because it will cause the unique Japanese social society to break down? Because Japanese society is so weak?

minister in charge of women's empowerment and gender equality.

This is quite the title...We all know until that 50 year old takes the country over that this is just a title/job description more than anything.

You can't collapse and collapsed social system...

This is too rich for me! Tamayo Marukawa, is married to Taku Otsuka, but she doesn't use his name! Only in Japan

Tamayo Marukawa is a Japanese politician and former announcer of TV Asahi, who serves as a member of the House of Councillors of the National Diet. She is a member of the Liberal Democratic Party. She served as the head of the Women's Affairs Office of the LDP on October 2009. Wikipedia

Born: January 19, 1971 (age 50 years), Kobe, Hyogo

Spouse: Taku Otsuka (m. 2008)

Parents: Seishirō Marukawa

Office: Minister for the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games since 2021

Education: The University of Tokyo (1993)

...Tamayo Marukawa, is married to Taku Otsuka, but she doesn't use his name!

Trademark behaviour of the LDP - Do as we say, not do as we do!

Lawmakers from Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party have urged local members to shun a move that supports a legal revision allowing separate surnames for married couples, party sources said.

Because this, in the midst of a pandemic, is what the Japanese populace has been urging their elected representatives to do.

The thing that bothers me most here is that it signals that the old men in the LDP have to get their own way about absolutely every issue, no matter how small.

LOLz at Marukawa not taking her husband's name.

Japan's Civil Code requires a married couple to share a surname, and conventionally, the burden has largely fallen on women to change names after marriage.

Japan's Civil Code originated in Meiji period (1967-1912), was modelled after the one in France. It's not even Japanese tradition.

The lawmakers, in their written request, argue that separate surnames could result in the collapse of the social system.

Sounds good to me. It should collapse. It stinks. In principle, anything that the average LDP Diet member is in favour of probably sucks.

Once again confirmation that Japan is an Oligarchy.

separate surnames could result in the collapse of the social system.

Too right! Civilizations in places like Korea, China and western countries are crumbling because of the anarchy and chaos created by this fancy idea of letting people keep their own surnames after marriage

Seiko Hashimoto is also not Seiko Hashimoto on her passport or any credentials when she goes overseas.

Luckily these privileged parliamentarians aren't going to be hassled by immigration when trying to enter another company to speak at a symposium, when their passport doesn't match any name on the symposium website.

These celebrity lawmakers don't have to worry about trying to find a new job with a name that no longer matches all the patents and publications of their early careers.

50 LDP lawmakers urge local members to oppose separate surnames

And I urge those 50 lawmakers to find a new job and stop leeching of the tax we all pay.

borschtToday 06:14 pm JST

The female in charge of female empowerment is against separate surnames because it will cause the unique Japanese social society to break down? Because Japanese society is so weak?

Exactly, that's quite an implication

The group also includes Tamayo Marukawa, who recently took over as minister in charge of women's empowerment and gender equality.

Gross insubordination, dereliction of duty, impersonation, fraud.

She'll go far!

In Quebec if you get married no one takes their spouse's surname.

In 1981 the government ended the process ( no not because of the false view to protect French names) they did this for several reasons nearly all to save money.

One more women were joining the professional workforce and remaining. Deplomas in maiden names made for confusion.

Next was the cost to the government to change all the info, healthcare cards, drivers license, social insurance cards, etc... and charging for this would have been discrimination.

Then in the case of a divorce many women want to return to their maiden name and again charging them to do so because the law originally forced them to change would be discrimination. So more cost to the tax payers

So Quebec just ended the whole mess, everyone keeps the name they were born with no more confusion, no more cost to the government changing everything and far less problems for the women.

This is too rich for me! Tamayo Marukawa, is married to Taku Otsuka, but she doesn't use his name!

Hypocrisy is a promotable offence.

No one has the right to tell married couples what to name themselves, If either one wants to change they should be allowed to do so, and the government should keep it's nose out of it.

Hey guys, lets waste our time on issues that don't even matter. Never mind covid or low birthrates or no jobs.

Let's worry about non issues like the olympics and surnames instead!!! We are brilliant!!!!

Marukawa is a pathetic sycophant. She needs to be consigned to the trash heap.

Taking an axe to the root of civilization, the family, by interfering with marriages through superfluous legislation, i.e. demanding double surnames, helps no one.

Goddamn, the sky is falling Chicken Little! Run, ruuuuuuuuuuuuuuuun!

My wife took my name. If she hadn't, we'd still be just as much a family. And if I had taken her name, still just as much a family.

If you're a loser enough that your family is lesser because you have a different name, well you're a loser, and I hate to think of what your family dynamic would be. Probably a lot of 'yessir' from your wife.

Old, archaic thinking is what will led to the collapse of the social system

No, not directly.

The thing that is though is salaries. Everything else is background noise.

Other than practical issues, psychological impacts on individuals should be taken into account. It used to be common that women to be married (or men to be adopted) were very young even under-aged compared to our time. They didn't have strong attachments to the surname of origin, or they were more flexible or adaptive to a host family with a new surname. Back then the Japanese family used to be big and extended. Except the heir (plus a few for backup), many of other "redundant" kids were subject to name change(s) via marriage or adoption.

Now, people are likely to get married in later life. By then they build a strong identity and attachment to own surnames of origin. The present-day Japanese majority are from the small nuclear family. Many don't even have a sibling. Parents may want their only kid to hold their surname in any form. In addition, divorce is no longer taboo though it doesn't mean what some LDP claims the "collapse of social system".

Dropping the original family name means a lot in our time. I assume it definitely inhibits the smooth marriage process.

Romeo and Juliet…….

What's in a name? That which we call a rose,

By any other name would smell as sweet.

So, Romeo would — were he not Romeo called —

Retain that dear perfection which he owes

Without that title. Romeo, doff thy name,

And for that name, which is no part of thee,

Take all myself.

Well not exactly, 50 LDP lawmakers insist a rose by any other name would/could result in the collapse of the country’s social system.

How backward! Their plea should be rejected.

A marriage is one man and one woman becoming one for one lifetime. Japan’s Civil Code did not create arbitrarily marriage or surnames but simply protects the basic social structure of society, the family.

Taking an axe to the root of civilization, the family, by interfering with marriages through superfluous legislation, i.e. demanding double surnames, helps no one.

Backward and repressive 19th Century way of thinking that has no place in the 21st Century. My wife and I retain our family surnames. Neither you nor any level of government has any businesses telling us otherwise.

I know people in Japan who use a different surname for business purposes.

Tamayo Marukawa, is married to Taku Otsuka, but she doesn't use his name! 

Taku Otsuka is a member of Nippon Kaigi, which opposes any forms of gender equality. But it's OK if his wife (who is untraditionally older than him) to continue using her maiden name.

Her salary is doubtless higher than her husband's. How very un-Nippon Kaigi like. Taku may have to relieve his stress at some traditional Ginza hostess clubs to prove who wears the tradition pants.

No opinion, yet. Want to read more.

Just a question: The populace pressured Mori for his necessary resignation.

Why aren't the populace Now pushing for hers?- "The includes Tamayo Marukawa, minister of women's empowerment & gender equality."

The other archaic problem is that my wife tried to change her name in Japan but it was not possible because authorities don't accept the western alphabet, they only accept katakana for foreign surnames. Since my surname can't be written using katakana we gave up on the idea. Oh well.

Who cares and forget about uRGES as that the number one tatic they have in there arsenal of lack of hope

There is an old saying"WHAT'S IN A NAME"

Too right! Civilizations in places like Korea, China and western countries are crumbling because of the anarchy and chaos created by this fancy idea of letting people keep their own surnames after marriage

It has more to do with cultural differences and can't say which system is more progressive or superior judging from original intent.

In China and Korea, people (are encouraged to) maintain their family names of origin for lifetime not as the manifestation of individual rights or freedom but a strong bloodline/vertical familism and ancestor worship. Their marriage doesn't necessarily ensure full integration of partnership. One could be excluded from his or her partners' family affairs. In Japan prior to the current rule, people were basically able to change their names more frequently at own will in accordance with their critical life events.

Meanwhile, I think that whether a name change or not has nothing to do with the quality of family unity or social system.

Since my surname can't be written using katakana we gave up on the idea. Oh well.

This doesn't make any sense. If you register your name in japan you'll need to write it in katakana. In fact they insist. For everything, even to open a bank account. Who gave you this information? You can't survive in japan long-term with romaji only name! If it doesn't exist, then you can make it up (seriously). This is what I did back in the day when first came to japan, and the name has stuck ever since!

When registering, just make up some katakana that approximates your name, and you'll be fine. There is no official database for katakana names (obviously).

Your name in katakana doesn't "exist" because you haven't created it yet.

Now get your name done, but don't be too creative, because you'll be stuck with it. My advice is to keep it simple and make use of the 47 full katakana, without any of those half size ones.

If I was cupids arrow pinned me to the door I would happily exchange surnames with my husband. I would happily take my husbands surname, he would take mine.

What's in a name?

I hate these selfish people who can not fall in line and want to keep their surname. Like the couple Jim smith and Hana Okura and the children are stuck with the surname Okura-Smith and when Manabu Okura-Smith and Niko Matsumoto- Takashi get married their children will have 4 surnames like Sato Okura-Smith-Matsumoto-Takashi. Stick with one surname weather it is the males or female surname. The law allows for this.

This has absolutely nothing to do with gender equality.

I agree, because if those two newlyweds not even can’t find at the start a single name for their new family... And no, I’m not always a dino, as you can easily guess from my name. lol