Japanese politics split by the name of marriage
Source: Agencies |
July 8, 2010, Thursday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
WHEN Akiko Orita decided not to register her marriage in 1998 to keep her maiden name, it was supposed to be a temporary measure until Japan's civil code changed to allow married couples to keep separate surnames.
Twelve years later, her marriage is still unregistered and the topic is a hot-button issue ahead of Sunday's upper house election.
"I wanted to keep my name because I like it. It did not seem logical to have to change it," said 35-year-old Orita, an assistant professor at Keio University.
"We consider ourselves a family, but those opposed to it (amending the civil code) tell us that we are destroying the family system. I think that is strange."
While fiscal reform including doubling the 5 percent sales tax is the focus of the poll, some parties are wooing support from a conservative base by zeroing in on the name controversy.
The debate heated up after the Democratic Party of Japan, which advocates letting married couples keep separate names if they wish, took power last year and fanned expectations that the government would submit a bill to amend the civil code.
Faced with opposition from a coalition ally, the government's plan to submit a bill stalled, and the DPJ omitted the issue from their manifesto.
Both the main opposition Liberal Democratic Party and the DPJ's tiny coalition ally, the People's New Party, said they are against letting married couples have separate names, while the Social Democrats support it.
Japan is the only country in the Group of Eight major industrialized nations that requires married couples to register the same surname.
The rule is tied to Japan's traditional concept of the family institution, which in the past ensured properties, businesses, and surnames were passed on to men within the family unit.
Those against changing the civil code say it's a matter of family unity and are wary of the impact on divorce rates.
Meanwhile, Orita is resigned. "At this point, I've half given up," she said.
"It's hard to reach an agreement in the society over issues involving different values."
Twelve years later, her marriage is still unregistered and the topic is a hot-button issue ahead of Sunday's upper house election.
"I wanted to keep my name because I like it. It did not seem logical to have to change it," said 35-year-old Orita, an assistant professor at Keio University.
"We consider ourselves a family, but those opposed to it (amending the civil code) tell us that we are destroying the family system. I think that is strange."
While fiscal reform including doubling the 5 percent sales tax is the focus of the poll, some parties are wooing support from a conservative base by zeroing in on the name controversy.
The debate heated up after the Democratic Party of Japan, which advocates letting married couples keep separate names if they wish, took power last year and fanned expectations that the government would submit a bill to amend the civil code.
Faced with opposition from a coalition ally, the government's plan to submit a bill stalled, and the DPJ omitted the issue from their manifesto.
Both the main opposition Liberal Democratic Party and the DPJ's tiny coalition ally, the People's New Party, said they are against letting married couples have separate names, while the Social Democrats support it.
Japan is the only country in the Group of Eight major industrialized nations that requires married couples to register the same surname.
The rule is tied to Japan's traditional concept of the family institution, which in the past ensured properties, businesses, and surnames were passed on to men within the family unit.
Those against changing the civil code say it's a matter of family unity and are wary of the impact on divorce rates.
Meanwhile, Orita is resigned. "At this point, I've half given up," she said.
"It's hard to reach an agreement in the society over issues involving different values."
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