Japan is the only country requiring married couples to share the same surname, which poses significant challenges for researchers. A survey of over 7,500 academics found issues with patents, qualifications, research grants, and attribution of work. 95% of married women change their name, making the rule disproportionately affect them. A bill was proposed to allow couples to keep their names, but decisions on this change are still pending, reflecting ongoing gender equality discussions in the academic sphere.
The naming law created confusion for researchers obtaining patents, academic qualifications, applying for research grants, and caused problems when travelling and attending academic conferences.
Changing one's surname can cause significant disadvantages, as highlighted by Misa Shimuta, particularly affecting how one's body of work is attributed.
The current rule, in practice, mainly affects women, as 95% of married women in Japan legally change their name to their husband's.
A bill was proposed allowing married couples to retain their own family names, though the decision regarding this has been postponed.
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