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Title: Japan's Civil War Over Surnames

Link: https://slashdot.org/story/25/06/27/2354246/j...

Japanese politicians failed to pass legislation last month that would have
allowed married couples to keep separate surnames, despite surveys showing
majority public support for the change. Japan remains the only country
requiring married couples by law to share the same surname, with women taking
their husband's name in 95% of cases. The ruling Liberal Democratic Party's
skepticism blocked opposition bills aimed at reforming the system. Keidanren,
Japan's largest business lobby, says the current law "hinders women's
advancement" as name changes complicate professional reputations. A study by
NGO Asuniwa suggests reform could prompt 590,000 cohabiting couples to marry
legally, potentially boosting Japan's birth rate since strong stigmas
discourage births outside marriage. Some couples have developed workarounds.
Teachers Uchiyama Yukari and Koike Yukio have divorced and remarried three
times to sidestep the law, living unmarried most of the time but remarrying
for each child's birth registration before divorcing again.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

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