Japan's Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday that laws requiring married couples to have the same surname are constitutional, dismissing a challenge by three couples seeking to keep separate names. The three couples challenged provisions of the Civil Code and the family registration law after they were unable to register their marriages at local government offices using separate surnames. The decision by the Supreme Court's 15-member grand bench comes as Japan is faced with calls to accept diversity in gender, family and sexuality. Public opinion is increasingly supportive of an option to allow couples to keep separate surnames. They support traditional gender roles and a paternalistic family system, arguing that allowing the option of separate surnames would destroy family unity and affect children.

Source: CBC News June 23, 2021 18:22 UTC