While many laws have been created and updated to improve the lives of women in Japan, others have not. Here, we highlight four Japanese laws we would like to see amended for women so that Japan can become a nation where people of all genders have the same rights on paper and in practice. Japan often comes under fire on the world stage when discussing women’s rights.
Consider these recent reports: While there are , there are plenty that negatively affect them as well. In the last decade alone, these groups and individuals have stepped into the spotlight to speak out on women’s issues: In this article, we examine legislation that could be holding modern Japanese women back to shed further light on gender inequality in Japan. Article 750 of the Japanese Civil Code states spouses must share the same surname.
While the law doesn’t specify who in the relationship has to take their partner’s family name, the reality is skewed. In 2022, nearly of Japanese wives changed their surnames to match their husbands after marriage. In March 2024, several common-law and married couples argued that the law contradicts Article 24 of the Japanese Constitution which states husbands and wives share equal rights.
These cases may benefit from rising support for change from the public and some corners of the business world. According to one , over 60% of participants agreed that married couples don’t need to share the same surname. In practice, abortion is legal up until 22 weeks of pregnanc.
