Entire population of Japan to have same surname by 2531, study suggests

People in Japan could all have the same surname in about 500 years, a study has suggested.

Hiroshi Yoshida, a professor of economy at Tohoku University, led the study as part of a campaign to update the civil code that has been in place since the 1800s. The research revealed that the entire Japanese population might go by the last name of Sato-san by 2531 unless married couples are permitted to use separate surnames. For now, Japanese couples must have the same family name.

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The study, based on several assumptions, aimed to draw attention to the impact the present system has on Japanese society.

"If everyone becomes Sato, we may have to be addressed by our first names or by numbers," the professor said, according to the Japanese publication Mainichi. "I don't think that would be a good world to live in."

Sato is the most common surname in Japan at the moment. It accounts for 1.5 per cent of the 125.1 million-strong population. The second is Suzuki.

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Since the study was published on April 1, some people think it's a prank. However, Yoshida wants people to take the matter seriously. According to him, if everyone had the same surname, it would be difficult to find another way to differentiate between people. The professor called it, "not only inconvenient but also [undermining] individual dignity."

Apart from practical difficulties, losing different surnames would cause a loss of cultural, regional, and family heritage.

The proportion of Satos increased 1.0083 times between 2022 and 2023. Around half of the Japanese population would have that name in 2446 if Satos increased at this rate, reaching 100 per cent in 2531.

In Japan, the woman has to change her last name in 95 per cent of marriages. However, it is not specific in the current laws. But more and more people are now in support of married couples using separate surnames.

Japan does not allow couples to have separate last names, becoming the only country in the world that requires spouses to use the same family name. However, the government has allowed maiden names to appear alongside married names on passports, driving licences and residence certificates.

The ruling Liberal Democratic Party has given the main argument against the issue. They say changing the law would undermine family unity and could cause confusion among children.

(With inputs from agencies)