Japan Govt Unable to Introduce Maiden Name Bill for Now

Tokyo, May 13 (Jiji Press)–The Japanese government will refrain from proposing a bill to legalize the post-marriage use of maiden names during the ongoing parliamentary session, it was learned Wednesday. The Cabinet Committees of both chambers of the Diet, Japan’s parliament, which are to handle the surname bill, are currently busy dealing with bills to set up a national intelligence council and to revise the economic security promotion law, government sources said. The administration of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi also wants the Diet to give priority to enacting planned lawmaker-initiated legislation to penalize the destruction of the Japanese flag before the ongoing session ends in July. The ruling Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition partner Japan Innovation Party have been pushing for legalizing the use of birth surnames, with Takaichi particularly willing to allow married people to put those names alone on official documents. But some LDP members who advocate a selective dual surname system for married couples oppose the legislation, arguing that it would not fundamentally resolve the issue. Others have voiced concerns about potential confusion arising from surnames on official documents not matching those listed in family registers. The government plans to continue work to design the maiden name system, with the aim of submitting a bill to an extraordinary Diet session expected this autumn. Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara told a press conference Wednesday that it is yet difficult to specify when the bill will be introduced. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]