|
 Oguni is one of five people suing the government of Japan, the
only country in the Group of Seven with a law requiring spouses to
adopt the same surname.
The women say the law is unconstitutional and violates married
couples' civil rights, and are demanding compensation.
"By losing your surname ... you're being made light of, you're not
respected ... It's as if part of your self vanishes," said the
41-year-old translator.
A decision by the Supreme Court, due on Dec. 16, coincides with
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's push to draw more women into a shrinking
workforce. Despite that, many in his conservative ruling party are
opposed to any legal change.
 An 1896 law says spouses must adopt the same surname to legally
register their marriage. The law does not specify which one, but in
practice, 96 percent of women take their husband's name, a
reflection of Japan's male-dominated society.
Conservatives say allowing couples to choose whether they share the
same surname or not could damage family ties and threaten society.
"Names are the best way to bind families," Masaomi Takanori, a
constitutional scholar, told NHK public television.
"Allowing different surnames risks destroying social stability, the
maintenance of public order and the basis for social welfare."
Others say it is time for a change.
"The world is more oriented towards individuals now," said Shunsuke
Serizawa, a social commentator on gender and family roles.
"Separate surnames is a natural extension."
Many working women face the hassle of juggling two names - their
maiden name for professional use and their legal, married name,
required on official documents.
"If changing surnames is so easy, why don't more men do it?" said
Oguni. "The system is one that says, basically, 'if you're not
willing to change, you shouldn't be getting married'."
[to top of second column] |
Some couples opt not to register their marriage so they can keep
separate names, an option taken by opposition Social Democratic
Party lawmaker Mizuho Fukushima and her partner.
Doing so, however, creates legal headaches including complications
over parental and inheritance rights. Oguni took her husband's name
legally but uses her maiden name professionally.
Two previous courts ruled against the women.
Public opinion is divided. A poll by the liberal Asahi Shimbun
newspaper last month found 52 percent in favor of being able to
choose and 34 percent against. Support for the option of separate
surnames is much higher among younger people.
Kyoko Tsukamoto, another plaintiff who goes by her maiden name, has
been with her husband since 1960 and married him when their first
child was born so the child would be legitimate.
They then divorced, and remarried to have another child but her
husband refused a second divorce.
"I was born Tsukamoto, and I want to die Tsukamoto," the 80-year-old
said.
(Reporting by Elaine Lies; Editing by Linda Sieg and Robert Birsel)
[© 2015 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
Copyright 2015 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. |
