Japan Press Weekly

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2025 April 30 - May 13 [SOCIAL ISSUES]

Japan bar association asks JCP for cooperation in realizing introduction of selective dual surname system

The Japan Federation of Bar Associations (JFBA) on May 9 met with Japanese Communist Party Executive Committee Chair Tamura Tomoko and JCP Secretariat Head Koike Akira at the JCP head office in Tokyo, requesting that the JCP work to realize a selective dual surname system in the current Diet session.

This action is part of the lobbying efforts which the JFBA made with the ordinary Diet session coming to a close.

JFBA Vice President Teramachi Toko pointed out that under the existing system imposing the use of the same surname on married couples, in practice, 95% of women, willingly or not, take their husbands’ surnames. She said, “To realize a selective dual surname system is the most central challenge for us.” Referring to opponents’ proposals focusing on legally expanding the use of pre-marriage surnames as business names, the JFBA executive said that these proposals are not a real solution. She added that forcing either of the married couple to change their surname is a human rights issue.

In response, Tamura and Koike said that the JCP will make all-out efforts to realize the introduction of a selective separate surname system.

Tamura stressed, “We will push the government to hold Diet discussions on this issue with the aim of contributing to shaping public opinion.” Koike said that the JCP will support the bill dealing with this issue proposed by the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, adding, “We will work hard to have the Diet launch deliberations on the bill without delay and enact it before the current session closes. Public support is the key to achieving this.”