A newly appointed female judge on Japan’s Supreme Court has said she will use her maiden name when handing down rulings, a legal first in a country criticised for its attitudes to gender equality.
A newly appointed female judge on Japan’s Supreme Court has said she will use her maiden name when handing down rulings, a legal first in a country criticised for its attitudes to gender equality.
Married couples in Japan are required to have a common surname under a law that was upheld in 2015, sparking criticism from activists who complain it is sexist and outdated. Social conservatives defend the law as crucial to maintaining Japan’s traditional family structure but critics say it reflects a society that is still male-dominated and lags behind other advanced nations in terms of equality. Yuko Miyazaki, 66, the country’s sixth-ever female member of Japan’s top court, confirmed to AFP through a spokesman that she « will use her maiden name » for judgements. « It is natural for me to keep using the name I used as an attorney, » she told local media, adding it was important to have the « option » of keeping a pre-marriage name as traditional values change.
