Japanese women have long sacrificed their surnames in marriage − politics and demographics might change that

A record number of female candidates stood in the 2024 Japanese election. Richard A. Brooks/AFP via Getty Images

For centuries, women entering marriage in Japan have been bound by the Confucian notion of personal sacrifice for the good of the family – and that has extended to their names.

Encouraged by a sexual double standard and shaped by a general perception of Japan as a society made for men, most women abandon their maiden names when tying the knot.