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On June 12, the Democratic Party of Japan, together with the Japanese Communist Party, the Social Democratic Party and independent lawmakers, submitted a proposal for a partial revision of the Civil Code to the House of Councillors. This proposal included introduction of a system that would allow married couples to keep separate surnames, and a reduction of the period during which women are prohibited from remarrying.
Following the submission of the revision proposal, DPJ Next Minister of Justice Toshio Ogawa and other concerned DPJ Diet members held a press conference regarding the issue. Ogawa stated that the DPJ had consistently been working to realize a system which allowed couples to keep separate surnames if they so wished. He said that cases relating to the issue of separate surnames for couples and for the period during which women are prohibited from remarrying were being brought before the Supreme Court’s Grand Bench, which would soon issue rulings, and stated that this had caused the party to conclude that the legislative arm should respond proactively and hence they had decided to submit the revision proposal.
The revision proposal contains the following: (1) introduction of a system that would allow married couples to keep separate surnames, (2) reduction of the period during which women are prohibited from remarrying [currently six months], (3) standardizing the legal age of marriage [currently 16 for women and 18 for men] at 18 years of age, and (4) allowing a child to be given either the father or mother’s name at birth following discussion between the parents.
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