By 2351, all Japanese people will have a common last name – research

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In Japan, a law requiring married couples to have the same last name could cause most of them to disappear. Scientists say that by 2351, all Japanese people will have the surname Sato.

Scientists from the University of Tokyo came to this conclusion. writes The Guardian. Theirs research became part of a campaign to update the existing civil code, created in the late 1800s.

Hiroshi Yoshida, an economics professor who led the study, said he used numbers to try to explain the impact of existing requirements on Japanese society. The scientist shared his fear of a possible future in which people will have to be addressed by name or even a number.

According to a survey conducted in March 2023, the ranking of the most common surnames in Japan is headed by Sato. The second step is occupied by Suzuki.

Yoshida believes that such a situation, apart from the obvious inconveniences, will lead to the undermining of personal dignity, as well as the loss of family and regional heritage.

Currently, Japanese couples can choose the surname of one of the grooms for the future spouse. In 95% of cases, it is women who change their last name. The maiden name, along with the one acquired after marriage, is allowed to be used in separate documents, such as a driver’s license, residence permit.

Japan is currently the only country in the world that requires spouses to use the same last name.

Earlier we told that the demographic problem in Japan peaked in 2023, the birth rate in the country broke an anti-record. Also the Supreme Court of the country admitted unconstitutional ban on same-sex marriages.

Anna Kovalenko, “UP. Life”