The No. 2 figure in Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party said Wednesday that its lawmakers should reach a consensus if bills to allow married couples to use different surnames are put to a vote in the parliament.
LDP Secretary General Hiroshi Moriyama said in an interview with Kyodo News that party members should be "cautious" in assessing whether the current requirement forcing married Japanese couples to have the same surname should be changed.
Regarding the issue, which has divided the conservative LDP, Moriyama said, "We should consider the history and shape of our country," while voicing eagerness to take further measures to enable women to use maiden names more.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba expressed support for introducing a selective surname system for married couples before taking office in October, but he has recently moderated his tone, apparently mindful of some members within the ruling party.
Conservative LDP lawmakers, who uphold traditional family values such as the role of women in childbirth and child-rearing, have fundamentally opposed the selective surname system, same-sex marriage and the promotion of rights for sexual minorities.
On Wednesday, meanwhile, Ishiba told Tetsuo Saito, leader of the LDP's junior coalition partner Komeito party, that he needs more time to gather intraparty opinions on the selective surname system before starting working-level talks.
Komeito, which is backed by Japan's largest lay Buddhist organization Soka Gakkai, has been calling for revising the present single-family name system. The self-proclaimed "peace party" has been a part of the coalition government since 2012.
After their meeting at the prime minister's office, Saito, who became the head of Komeito in November, quoted Ishiba as saying that he will finalize the LDP's proposals on the matter as soon as possible to begin discussions between the ruling parties.
Saito also told reporters that the ruling bloc should initiate working-level consultations by the end of January.
© KYODO
12 Comments
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GBR48
Require the nomination of both a traditional and a chosen name (they can be the same if you want). So that either can be used in any circumstance, as people wish, and they can function as a form of 2FA for the My Number card. A free extra level of security that you won't forget.
It's normal to have more than one name in Japan. Hokusai used about 30 (although that may be overdoing it a bit).
sakurasuki
It only being discussed no rule being enacted, it really shows how slow Japan really goes in anything.
21st century still only trying to discuss possibility whether couple surname is possible or not.
GillislowTier
Remember, 50 years of “gathering opinions” of this topic. If people should be allowed to have the name they are born with… 50. Viagra was approved in three weeks. 1st was preparing the debate, second the debate and approval after a single discussion session, third week it was available for pharmacies to stock.
Anyway, even nations with dual surnames still see single digit rates of use. It would be extremely few in Japan as well, but I he option alone at least makes it look like the government cares. What a nothing burger thing to even debate
GuruMick
Why consensus ? How about "common senses "
People have rights that dont need Govt. input .
A camel is a horse designed by a committee.
grund
40 years of discussing seperate surnames is not enough?
Jeremiah
When a man and a woman marry, they are one family.
One family should have only one surname.
wallace
Jeremiah
In your country, and so many others they do not. Do you seek to appeal your laws? Where in the Bible does it say that?
OssanAmerica
The Koseki system is too ingrained and a burden to revamp. Just pass a law allowing for the use of an A/K/A name and make a Certificate available. It really isn't an issue so big that it should be eating up lawmaking time when there are other more pressing issues.
Agent_Neo
The only people who will be happy about the collapse of the family system will be China, who want to send immigrants there, and Korean residents in Japan, whose family registers will become unknown. Ishiba is pro-China, though.
For one thing, no one has answered what to do about the children's surnames.
If there is more than one child in a family, how will the parents explain that each child has a different surname?
Family members will no longer be the only ones to decide surnames, and relatives will likely have a stronger say. And what will happen after the divorce?
Reforming the system will only increase friction, making it worse!
Mr Kipling
Easy! One has my name, the other has my wife's name.
That was easy wasn't it.
Mie Fox
Since Japanese law allows a couple to freely choose their family name, there is no discrimination and a common name is a visible sign of a family unit, that should not be done away with.
On the other hand, there might be occations, when keeping a birth name might be convenient, so I support OssanAmerica's solution:
Just pass a law allowing for the use of an A/K/A name and make a Certificate available.
Jordi Puentealto
In Spain, as in several other countries a full name is composed by three parts. The given names(s), father's surname and mother’s surname. It is a nice way to honour no other families. And given that there are so many “same” full names, I think that it is a solution.