In a setback to the fledgling women’s rights movement in Japan, the Supreme Court has upheld a law that says married couples must have the same surname.
The BBC reports that women regard the law as discriminatory as most couples end up using the husband’s surname.
However, the court said the law does not violate the constitution.
The law dates back to the 19th century.
Studies show that more than 96 percent of Japanese couples opt for the husband’s surname.
The case was bought to court by three individual women and one couple in a civil partnership, who argued that the law was archaic.
Two lower courts had already ruled against them.
Australian women do not have to change their name when they get married, and nor do women in the US and Britain, although many still do.
There is some flexibility in France and Italy, while in Quebec, women do not take their husband’s name.
