Will Japanese women be able to keep their maiden names after marriage? Major lobby demands change

By MARI YAMAGUCHI
Associated Press

TOKYO (AP) — A powerful Japanese business lobby is calling on the government to quickly revise its civil law to allow married couples an option to keep dual surnames, saying the lack of freedom to do so hinders women’s advancement and has even become a business risk. Keidanren, or The Japan Business Federation, said Monday they plan on submitting their proposal to the government next week. Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s conservative governing party has shelved the dual surname recommendation for over three decades. However, several surveys now show vast public support for a dual-surname option has grown.