Almost 80 percent of heads of local governments across Japan support the introduction of a system allowing married couples to have separate surnames, a survey by Kyodo News showed Sunday.
The results come as calls to review the law forcing married Japanese couples to use the same surname grow among the public, with the issue emerging as a key debate in the Sept 27 Liberal Democratic Party leadership race that will choose the successor to Prime Minister Fumio Kishida.
Married couples must share the same surname under Japan's Civil Code, with many taking the husband's last name. The lack of choice has been criticized as impinging on personal identity and potentially hindering careers, but conservatives have argued that separate surnames may affect family unity.
The survey of 47 prefectural governors and 1,741 heads of municipal governments received responses from 1,667 people, around 93 percent of those canvassed. It was conducted from July to August.
Of the respondents, 78 percent supported a change to allow separate surnames, with 22 percent saying it "should be recognized" and 56 percent saying that if asked they would be inclined to back its recognition.
In a multiple selection section, the most commonly cited reason among respondents who were in favor of choice for separate surnames at 76 percent was that it is "not compulsory and causes no disadvantage to couples wishing to live under the same name."
The next-most cited was 61 percent who said it "allows people to continue working under their pre-marriage surname, removing career hindrances."
Other reasons, each chosen by 37 percent, were that it allows "couples to get closer to equal standing, with the woman not having to change to her husband's name against her will," and that it allows marriage without administrative tasks such as changing family register, driver's license or bank details.
Of the 17 percent who expressed opposition, 14 percent said they were disinclined to approve the system, while just 3 percent said they "do not think" separate surnames should be approved. The remaining respondents did not take a position for or against differing last names.
As for the reasons, 64 percent said it would "damage the family sense of unity," while 39 percent said it is "natural for family to have the same surname."
Among other reasons, 32 percent said it would "create everyday inconvenience for couples to have separate surnames," and 30 percent said it would lead to "children receiving unreasonable treatment."
A Kyodo News poll in May found that 76 percent of the public supports being able to choose separate surnames, while in June, the country's most powerful business lobby, the Japan Business Federation, urged swift action toward allowing differing names, stressing the burden falls disproportionately on women.
In 1996, a Justice Ministry panel recommended the Civil Code be revised to allow separate surnames. But it never made it to parliament due to opposition from conservative lawmakers.
Since then, little progress has been made as successive governments have taken a cautious stance apparently due to conservative opposition.
