New Justice Minister Takashi Yamashita expressed eagerness in a recent interview to legalize the sole use of maiden names after marriage. While the details of the planned legislation are “still under consideration,” Yamashita said that he will “carefully explain its intentions and the design of the system when a bill is submitted to parliament.” He noted that he does not think amendments to the Civil Code or the family register law are necessarily required. Addressing calls for the introduction of a selective dual surname system for married couples, Yamashita, who doubles as minister for gender equality, stressed that it is a “serious mistake” to think that legalizing the use of maiden names would become unnecessary if such a system were adopted.
Asked about Japan’s future approach to accepting foreign nationals, Yamashita stressed, “It’s not simply a matter of bringing in foreigners because Japan faces labor shortages.” “We need to consider how many foreign residents local communities can accommodate, and whether Japan has adequate systems in place to support them,” he continued. He pledged to “take a medium- to long-term perspective while strengthening the country’s capacity to accept foreign residents, including developing programs to help foreign residents learn the Japanese language and Japanese rules.”
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