The Japanese government approved a plan on Friday to consider legalizing the use of birth surnames alone in official documents for married people, while keeping the requirement for couples to share the same surname. The move aims to address inconveniences faced by those changing names after marriage.
The Japanese government on Friday, March 13, 2026, approved a plan to consider legalizing the use of birth surnames alone in official documents for married individuals, while upholding the legal requirement for couples to share a single surname. This initiative forms part of the sixth Basic Plan for Gender Equality, adopted by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's cabinet, outlining measures for the next five years. Legislation related to the plan is expected to be submitted during the current parliamentary session.
Under Japan's Civil Code, married couples must adopt the same surname, a rule that has long burdened women in particular, leading to issues such as difficulties opening bank accounts under maiden names used professionally. Business leaders and opposition parties have pushed for a system allowing separate surnames. In response to public outcry, the government has already permitted the inclusion of former surnames alongside married ones on identification documents like driver's licenses and passports.
Gender Equality Minister Hitoshi Kikawada stated at a press conference that legalizing sole use of birth surnames "would help reduce the number of people who face inconveniences or disadvantages due to the name change after marriage." However, Masashi Jimbo, general secretary of Japan's largest labor union Rengo, criticized the plan, saying it "will not fundamentally solve the problem (of name change) nor will it gain the understanding of the international community." He added that the plan was revised without sufficient deliberation.
Prime Minister Takaichi, a conservative, has approached the issue cautiously, with some in her ruling Liberal Democratic Party expressing concerns that separate surnames could undermine family cohesion and traditional values. Following her landslide election victory on February 8, 2026, Takaichi formed a new cabinet and directed relevant ministers to prepare the groundwork for allowing birth surnames alone on official documents. The debate over separate surnames for married couples has persisted in Japan since 1996, remaining a divisive topic.
