Highlights: Japan: the fight of married women to keep their maiden name. On March 8, International Women's Day will be played out in court in Japan. Six couples decided to take the state to court. They demand the repeal of an article of the Civil Code which dates back to 1898. This prevents most Japanese women from using their Maiden name after marriage. They must take their husband's name. This is a unique feature in the world. In this very patriarchal Japanese society, 96% of men who marry refuse to give up their surname. De facto, therefore, married women must take the husband's surname.

On March 8, International Women's Day will be played out in court in Japan. Six couples decided to take the state to court. They demand the repeal of an article of…

WOMENS RIGHTS

Japan: the fight of married women to keep their maiden name

On March 8, International Women's Day will be played out in court in Japan.

Six couples decided to take the state to court.

They are demanding the repeal of an article of the Civil Code which dates back to 1898 and which has been extremely controversial ever since.

This prevents most Japanese women from using their maiden name after marriage;

they must take their husband's name.

A Japanese woman on the heights of the capital Tokyo.

(Illustration) AP - Jae C. Hong

By: RFI Follow

With our correspondent in Tokyo

Bruno Duval

This is a unique feature in the world.

The Japanese Civil Code requires both spouses to have the same name, whether that of the man or the woman.

In this very patriarchal Japanese society, 96% of men who marry refuse to give up their surname.

De facto, therefore, married women must take their husband's surname.

This outrages these two Tokyoites: “

It’s terrible to forbid us from using our maiden name,

” laments the first

.
In doing so, it is the very identity of married women that is denied, since it is assimilated to that of their husband.
This amounts to saying that, symbolically and officially, we only exist by virtue of our marital bond

Conservatism...

“

It is high time to abolish this rule from another age

,” continues the second.

After their marriage, working women must rebuild their name in their professional environment.
This is yet another handicap, when we are already struggling to find our place in this Japanese corporate culture that is so masculine, even macho.

But women defend this system, like Minister Sanae Takaichi, a leading figure of the ultra-conservatives: “

Two names used in families would harm children.
This would cause them undue emotional discomfort, as they would be forced to choose between bearing their dad's name or their mom's.

However, 70% of respondents – men and women combined – called for this rule, deemed sexist, to be abandoned.

Japan: the fight of married women to keep their maiden name

Japan: the fight of married women to keep their maiden name

Conservatism...

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