The Japanese Supreme Court has recently ruled that a law requiring married couples to have the same surname is constitutional. The lawsuits were filed on behalf of women who claimed the law amounted to gender discrimination because it caused undue emotional stress and sometimes even depression when they were forced to pick a surname when it came to issues of adoption and business relationships.

The court held that the law was not discriminatory because the law allows the couples to choose which surname to use, even though it was shown that the majority of couples choose the husband’s last name. The court found the law reflected the deep values of society and there was no need to change it.