The plaintiffs met on the 24th after the two courts in Tokyo and Hiroshima regarding the surnames of married couples confirmed that the provisions of the Civil Code that do not allow surnames do not violate the Constitution.
Two of the five judges in the Supreme Court, who decided to dismiss the plaintiff's appeal, praised the statement that "the provisions are unconstitutional."
Three de facto married couples in Tokyo and a woman living in Hiroshima City argued that the provisions of the Civil Code and the Family Register Act, which do not allow married couples to have different surnames, violate the Constitution that stipulates gender equality, and sought compensation from the government. rice field.
The Supreme Court decided to dismiss the plaintiff's appeal by the 23rd, and the judgment of the two courts who dismissed the complaint because the provisions did not violate the Constitution was finalized.
Meanwhile, in the decision, two out of five judges said that the provisions are unconstitutional.
A plaintiff living in Tokyo held a press conference on the 24th following the Supreme Court's decision, and Mr. Seiichi Yamazaki said, "Judges who wrote an opinion that it is unconstitutional have the option of giving their surnames when they get married. It was a heart-wrenching word that had a positive meaning for everyone. The result was rejected, but I take it as a step forward, not a negative one. "
In addition, Makiko Terahara, a lawyer of the defense team, said that she would like to refine the content based on the opinion of this constitutional violation after clarifying the policy of initiating a new trial on the surname of the married couple.