Will Japanese women be able to keep their maiden names after marriage? Major lobby demands change

TOKYO (AP) — A powerful Japanese business lobby is calling on the government to allow married couples to keep dual surnames, saying the lack of freedom to do so hinders women’s advancement and has even become a business risk.

In Japan, each wedded pair has to legally adopt one family name. While either surname can be used, 95% of women still traditionally adopt their husbands’, according to a 2022 government survey. Experts say such law only exists in Japan and have even accused it of putting women off marriage in a country already suffering dwindling nuptials.

Keidanren, or The Japan Business Federation, said Monday a the law has to be revised to fit a more diverse, equal and inclusive Japanese society.

This came months after about a dozen plaintiffs filed a lawsuit asking for the system to be changed.

“As women play more active roles and the number of female executives is on the rise, the surname issue has become a business risk that companies can no longer dismiss as a problem of certain individuals,” said Masakazu Tokura, head of Keidanren.

Tokura said many Japanese career women are already using their maiden names at work and on their business cards, including 90% of Keidanren female members. However, they still have to use their unified surnames on all legal documents, causing them issues when — for example — opening bank accounts, issuing credit cards, and traveling overseas as the names don’t match, he said.

Keidanren internally surveyed its members and 88% of female executives expressed dissatisfaction with the status quo.

The proposal by the organization — which boasts over 1,500 Japanese companies and has regularly made economic policy recommendations — is seen as unusual for it has customarily supported Prime