Japanese Business Leaders Advocate Separate Surnames Choice Movement

11 Mar, 2024

Japanese Business Leaders Advocate Separate Surnames Choice Movement

Business leaders in Japan are urging the government to swiftly implement a system allowing married couples the choice of separate surnames, presenting a petition with over 1,000 signatures. Advocates argue that many women who marry continue using their maiden names in the workplace, causing procedural challenges, especially when traveling abroad. During a meeting with the senior vice justice minister in Tokyo, the group, supported by the Japan Association of Corporate Executives, emphasized the need for legalizing separate surnames.

Established in April 2021, the group seeks to broaden support by collecting signatures online from board members of various companies and organizations. Prominent figures such as Yoshihisa Aono of Cybozu Inc. and Keiko Tashiro of Daiwa Securities Group Inc. are among the 19 founders. Business leaders like Takeshi Niinami of Suntory Holdings Ltd. and Hiroshi Mikitani of Rakuten Group Inc. have endorsed the cause.

The head of Keidanren, Japan's largest business lobby, Masakazu Tokura, supports the use of separate surnames as a priority issue for empowering working women. Twelve people have filed lawsuits against the government, claiming the constitutional illegality of laws mandating shared surnames for married couples. The plaintiffs, aged 30s to 60s, are seeking compensation and the right to marry without changing surnames, highlighting the need for legal recognition of diverse family dynamics and increased public awareness about diversity. Despite previous proposals in 1996, allowing separate surnames faced opposition from conservative lawmakers and never reached parliament.