[World's Insanity] Japan's choice for married couples to have the same surname - Is it a culture?、Is it bondage?

~I can speak only because I am Japanese.、Between culture and change

Hello、Kawaraban JAPAN! This is the editorial department.。

"When I get married、Isn't it natural to have the same last name? ”

In overseas coverage、Explaining the same surname system for married couples in Japan.、There are almost always questions asked.。This custom that is commonplace for many Japanese people、This is a rare choice in the world.、We often realize this for the first time through reactions from overseas.。

actual、Looking at Japan's statistics、95.6% of married couples choose the same last name。and、The custom is for the majority of them to choose their husband's surname.、continues in a natural way。Few Japanese people feel uncomfortable with this choice.、Rather, it is accepted as an important culture that creates a sense of family unity.。

But in recent years、This “normal” thing in Japan is、Attracting attention from the international community。because、Which countries legally require married couples to have the same surname?、Because Japan is the only place in the world。

Japan's current situation in numbers

The latest gender gap index released by the World Economic Forum、Japan was ranked 118th out of 146 countries.。The reason behind this ranking is、There are various factors、The international community has pointed out that the system of having the same surname for married couples is one of them.。

2024In a national survey conducted in October,、60.2% of respondents agreed with the selective surname system for married couples.。This number is、This shows that Japanese society is changing little by little.、it does not negate traditional values。rather、This can be said to be a natural shift towards accepting a variety of options.。

Japan in the world：What can be seen from the systems of each country

Looking at the systems regarding surnames for couples around the world、Interesting differences emerge。

What's interesting is、South Korea, which is part of the same Asian cultural area,、Rather, the principle is to use a different surname.。this is、It reflects the Korean culture that emphasizes the inheritance of family lineage.。on the other hand、in European countries、There is a growing tendency to emphasize the right of individual choice.。

The “family form” that Japanese people value

Japanese couples with the same surname、has a deep cultural background。The idea that “family is one”、It's more than just a system。The sense of unity created by having the same surname、It has become an important element of Japanese family culture.。

Even if you just take the name you call me at school、The characteristics of this culture are expressed。How to be called "Tanaka-san's mother" or "Sato-kun's sister"、It is also a characteristic of the Japanese language that naturally expresses family connections.。

In a changing era

but、In today's increasingly globalized society,、It is also true that this traditional system is creating new challenges.。

international research activities and、In the global business scene、Changing your name may cause unexpected problems.。for researchers、Continuity of paper performance is an important issue。Also、For companies that have a lot of overseas transactions、We also need to be creative in maintaining relationships with business partners.。

Issues visible from practical sites

According to a survey by the Ministry of Justice、Various measures and measures are being taken in the field.。many companies、To reduce business inconvenience、Use of maiden name is now allowed。but、How to use the name on the family register and the common name、It also creates new challenges。

for example、Identity verification at a financial institution、When drafting important contracts、You must use the name on your family register.。Therefore、Even if you use your maiden name in your relationships with business partners、Important documents require "double management" by using a different surname.。

According to a 2023 survey by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry,、Practical measures related to name change in companies、It has become clear that a considerable amount of time and cost is incurred per person per year.。but、This is not just a matter of operational inefficiency。Japanese society is facing、How to balance tradition and innovation、This can be said to be a manifestation of a more fundamental issue.。

Family ties and individual rights：Towards a future where there is no choice

``Tradition should be preserved'' ``Change is necessary'' - this debate、often talked about in a confrontational manner。but、What we Japanese people really need to think about is、The question is how to harmonize these two.。

actual、In countries that have introduced selective marital surnames,、There are no reports of weakened family ties.。rather、By respecting individual choice、There are many reports of people building stronger family relationships.。

2025towards the year、Discussion on legal reform is in full swing。This movement、It's more than just a change in the system.。it is、While preserving Japan's good traditions、Creating a family style suitable for a new era、It can be said that this is an attempt to explore society as a whole.。

For the future of Japanese society

in recent years、Using nicknames at work、Issuance of passport with maiden name etc.、Practical measures are progressing steadily.。but、A more substantive discussion is also necessary.。Japanese culture values ​​family bonds.、Is it really something that can only be protected by legally forcing people to have the same surname?。

Recognizing freedom of choice、It does not necessarily lead to a denial of tradition.。rather、Each family can choose their own style.、It may be a form of ``continuation of tradition'' that is appropriate for modern Japanese society.。

Please let us know your thoughts

in your country、What is the general idea about family names?。Also、About cultures like Japan where married couples have the same surname、How does it feel?

we、through this problem、On harmony between cultural diversity and universal values、I hope we can think about it together.。