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A company’s location and size, in addition to the type of employment it offers, can make it difficult for a large portion of female employees to use their maiden names. It’s even harder for full-time

19 Comments

Yoko Sakamoto, chairperson of the mNet-Information Network for Amending the Civil Code, commenting on the issue of separate family names for married couples. (Yomiuri Shimbun)

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In order for change to happen -- and make no mistake, Tina, change needs to happen -- Japanese society has to abandon the medieval and obnoxious tradition of treating women as property to be traded and labelled through marriage like livestock or a new tractor. And that's precisely what the tradition of having a women abandon her family name with marriage entails -- transfer of ownership.

There is absolutely NO rational defense or justification for insisting that anyone upon marriage should have to abandon their family name in this or any other century. None. And no, simplifying administrative tasks is not a valid reason.

It should be up to the couple to decide how they wish to be known privately and professionally. Hyphenated names should be allowed. Or "maiden" names (hate that expression). Heck, I'd go so far as to advocate allowing couples to create and adopt an entirely new family name to reflect their union and new family.

4 ( +6 / -2 )

Tina:

China/SK are treating women that way by forcing maiden names.

Do you have any reason to believe that significant numbers of people in those countries are unhappy with the current arrangements?

Korean led UN

Finally I understand why you don't like the UN and pretend it is anti-Japan! It really didn't make sense until now; sorry for being slow to get that. The UN sec gen is always chosen from a small uninfluential country, and the most recent time the candidate happened to be from South Korea. But for that to make the UN 'Korean-led', well you have a very rich imagination, to say the least!

3 ( +4 / -1 )

tinawatanabe: "Japan does not consider it a problem."

Then why the cowardly approach by the woman to justify it? Her explanation is absolute rubbish, by the way. It's just plain sexist and backwards is all, and Japan knows it -- hence the reduction of the "Womenomics" goal from 30% percent to LESS THAN TEN!

That's how sad and backwards Japan is in regards to giving women any kind of power in a genuine sense. The name problem, and it is a problem tina, especially when you try to say to the world it is not a problem, is more proof.

But hey, figures you'd somehow try to blame Japan's inability to get with the times on China and South Korea, who are far more able to do so.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

With friends like this, the head of a pro-change group explaining why change is 'difficult', who needs enemies? Just change the rule and be done with it. Anybody who wishes to follow the current way will be perfectly free to do so, and anybody who wishes to do things differently will no longer be unable to do so. So nobody loses, and everyone is happy, well except the likes of Tina of course.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Not sure about the logic link between the company size/location and the use of a maiden's name. It's like saying "I don't like carrots because of my smartphone size".

1 ( +2 / -1 )

A company’s location and size, in addition to the type of employment it offers, can make it difficult for a large portion of female employees to use their maiden names. It’s even harder for full-time homemakers, who have a tough time gaining the acceptance and understanding of those around them.

Cringeworthy negative mental attitude from a change leader.

Some people succeed despite their best efforts.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Probably you are not following Japanese news.

Haha. If only you could understand you are watching propaganda.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Reckless,

thanks for telling us how it is. I have been ignorant my whole life until you made me see the light. We should all kneel before you.

No kneeling necessary. A simple "thank you" will suffice. Judging by some of the attitudes expressed throughout your posting history, it would seem I arrived just in the nick of time. You're welcome. :-)

1 ( +1 / -0 )

What the heck has a company got to do with a woman using her maiden name, especially when the woman started working there before getting married? Am I the only one who can't seem to find an explanation or even logic in Sakamoto's words. The Chinese and Koreans, as well as most of the rest of the world doesn't seem to have a problem.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Softbank has no trouble leaving my maiden name on my account, even though I have shown them my new ID with my new (Japanese) surname. Hmm....

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Is it because aaid companies are still using paper documentation and OMG they have to update the names on all the papers?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Tina, You raised the subject of the Korean and Chinese systems being unfair. If you cannot offer any reason, you should withdraw your assertion. We know that some people find the Japanese system unfair, hence the discussion.

As for this:

He is the candidate of the most incompetent chief and well known anti-Japan.

Who is the most incompetent chief that Mr Ban is the candidate of? And who is anti-Japan? In what way is that well known? Problems with almost every word in that one short sentence.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

A company’s location and size, in addition to the type of employment it offers, can make it difficult for a large portion of female employees to use their maiden names. It’s even harder for full-time homemakers, who have a tough time gaining the acceptance and understanding of those around them.

Nonsense. All you are doing is rationalizing ignorence and refusal to change. How in the world does a company's size and "type of employment it offers" make it difficult to use someone's maiden name. Get out of the 19th century Japan.

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

Do you have any reason to believe that significant numbers of people in those countries are unhappy with the current arrangements?

Do you have any reason to believe that nobody in China or Korea are unhappy with different names from their husbands?

the candidate happened to be from South Korea.

He is the candidate of the most incompetent chief and well known anti-Japan. Probably you are not following Japanese news.

-10 ( +0 / -10 )

Then why the cowardly approach by the woman to justify it?

This woman, chairperson of the mNet-Information Network for Amending the Civil Code, is on your side. She is saying it is difficult to use maiden names. Of course difficult because it is not legal.

Japanese society has to abandon the medieval and obnoxious tradition of treating women as property to be traded and labelled through marriage like livestock or a new tractor.

and not other countries? China/SK are treating women that way by forcing maiden names.

It is Japan's communist party and others who are pro-China/SK and Korean led UN that are demanding Japan become like China/SK.

-12 ( +0 / -12 )

This woman, Yoko Sakamoto is advocating for changing the civil code, so is the communist party and Korean led UN.

The Chinese and Koreans, as well as most of the rest of the world doesn't seem to have a problem.

Japan does not consider it a problem.

-14 ( +0 / -14 )

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