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July 01, 2026
 

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FAMILY LAW

Japan's rollout of a new joint custody system for divorcing couples has drawn mixed reactions from the public, with some abuse survivors voicing concerns over continued contact with or interference from former partners while proponents welcomed the move because it puts the country more in line with international standards.
JAPAN / Society
Mar 31, 2026
Japan rolls out new joint custody system
The change ends the country¡¯s long-standing sole custody framework, under which only one parent could retain parental rights following a divorce.
Until now, sole custody was the only option a divorced couple had, in contrast with many Western countries where joint custody is commonplace.
JAPAN / Society / EXPLAINER
Mar 24, 2026
What you need to know about Japan¡¯s new joint custody system
For the first time ever, revisions to the family law will allow parents to choose between sole custody or joint custody following a divorce.
With parental authority at stake, abuse victims¡¯ looming fear of the possibility that their ex-spouse could once again be in their lives is real. But the frustration of the current sole custody arrangement for a noncustodial parent is also hard to ignore.
JAPAN / Society / FOCUS
Mar 24, 2026
Fear and fairness: Japan¡¯s joint custody reform sparks debate
From April, Japan will allow joint parental authority. For some, that means more time with their child, but for domestic abuse survivors, there is only fear.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, flanked by Liberal Democratic Party Secretary-General Shunichi Suzuki (left) and LDP Vice President Taro Aso, attend a party meeting at LDP headquarters in Tokyo's Nagatacho district on Tuesday.
JAPAN / Politics
Jan 21, 2026
LDP uses election manifesto to pledge stable rare earths supply amid China row
The ruling party says it will also accelerate talks on eliminating the current 8% consumption tax on food for two years as Japan grapples with inflation.
Under a revised Civil Code, joint parental custody of children and a statutory child support system after divorce will be introduced.
JAPAN / Society / FOCUS
Dec 25, 2025
Japan to start joint parental custody after divorce in April
The new framework represents a major shift in the post-World War II legislative system governing families.
Tomoko Yoshino, president of the Japanese Trade Union Confederation, or Rengo, met Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara at the Prime Minister's Office on Tuesday, where they are believed to have discussed the draft report.
JAPAN / Politics
Dec 24, 2025
Japan to delay new gender equality program to next year
The delay comes amid concerns over a plan to legalize the use of birth names for married couples, which was added to the draft of a report serving as the basis for the program.
Rengo President Tomoko Yoshino during an interview in Tokyo on Tuesday
JAPAN
Dec 17, 2025
Head of Rengo opposes government¡¯s plan on surnames
Tomoko Yoshino showed her intention to cooperate with political parties supporting the introduction of a selective dual surname system for married couples.
Rei Watanabe Prosper (left) and Coralie Prosper attends a news conference in Tokyo on Tuesday.
JAPAN
Dec 9, 2025
Same-sex international couple petitions for marriage recognition in Japan
The Japanese-French couple says Japan¡¯s refusal to acknowledge their marriage is preventing them from starting a family in France.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi walks inside parliament in Tokyo on Oct. 24.
JAPAN / Society
Dec 6, 2025
Japan considers bill on original surname use in gender equality program
The move is in response to a plan by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi¡¯s administration to enact a bill on the matter during next year¡¯s ordinary session of parliament.
Lower House lawmaker Hitoshi Aoyagi from the Japan Innovation Party speaks during an interview in his parliamentary office on Nov. 20.
JAPAN / Politics / FOCUS
Nov 26, 2025
Japan one step closer to relaxing single-surname rule for married couples
While still having married couples adopt the same surname, the ruling coalition is working on a bill that would allow the option of giving more weight to birth names.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara (center) and other ministers prior to a Cabinet meeting at the Prime Minister¡¯s Office on Friday
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Oct 31, 2025
Japan to introduce joint child custody system in April 2026
A system of statutory child support will also be introduced on the same date.
The Osaka District Court ordered the man to have his son appear at a hearing, but the man failed to bring him on all three designated dates.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Jul 11, 2025
Osaka man detained for three weeks under human protection law
It is rare for a person to be detained under the human protection law, which has no clause on a specific period for such detentions, said an expert on Japan¡¯s family laws.
A survey by a private group found that 30% of people in de facto marriages in Japan have not filed for marriage registration because they or their partners do not want to change their surnames.
JAPAN
May 6, 2025
About 30% of those in de facto marriages refuse to marry over surname change
Nearly half of such people are willing to file if a system allowing married spouses to use different surnames is introduced.
Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan lawmakers speak to reporters in parliament on Wednesday after submitting a bill in the Lower House to allow married couples to retain different surnames.
JAPAN / Politics
Apr 30, 2025
CDP submits bill proposal on separate surnames, but challenges remain
Japan remains the only country in the world that forces couples to use one surname after marriage.
Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan leader Yoshihiko Noda addresses a rally calling for the introduction of a system allowing married couples to choose whether to use the same or different family names on Feb. 26 at parliament.
JAPAN / Politics
Mar 8, 2025
Some 44% of Japanese lawmakers back selective dual surname system
The figure far outstrips the 1% who said that the country should maintain its current same surname system.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba attends an ordinary session of parliament along with his Cabinet ministers on Friday. Ishiba has toned down his stance on legally allowing married couples to have separate surnames.
JAPAN / Politics / FOCUS
Jan 28, 2025
Ishiba tones down stance on dual-surname debate
While previously being all in favor of a dual-surname system, the prime minister has recently suggested considering a ¡°compromise¡± of legally expanding the use of maiden names.
People holds a banner saying "Protect children from joint custody after divorce" during a rally outside the parliament building in Tokyo in March.
JAPAN / Society / FOCUS
Jun 25, 2024
Gender gap fuels disputes as Japan gets joint custody
The change has proved polarizing in a country where campaigners say sole custody acts as a bulwark against forms of domestic abuse.
Legislation that allows the option of joint custody of children after divorce is passed at the Upper House plenary session on Friday.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
May 17, 2024
Japan changes law to allow joint custody after divorce
For decades in Japan, one parent ¡ª almost always the mother ¡ª has been granted legal custody when a marriage ends.
Japan¡¯s custody system may soon change with the introduction of joint custody, though issues like a lack of protection against domestic violence and abuse must also be tackled.
COMMENTARY / Japan
May 10, 2024
Joint custody alone won¡¯t fix Japan¡¯s flawed system
Japan could be on the verge of adopting joint custody. While to some this is a step in the right direction, it may not be enough to protect families.
When trying to trace your lineage in Japan, the "koseki" is the most important form of document you'll encounter.
JAPAN / Society / Longform
Apr 29, 2024
Climbing the branches of a Japanese family tree
Among official records in Japan, the ¡°koseki¡± is key to discovering where you came from. However, it¡¯s not without controversy.
Uruguay federation reportedly cancels charter flight after World Cup exit
Uruguay's Jose Maria Gimenez reacts after the team's loss against Spain at the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Friday.
Inside Japan¡¯s rigid adoption system, a British family finds a way
James Benstead, his wife, Jesse, and their three children. Their adopted son is in the rear stroller.
India¡¯s gig workers pay the price for exposure to New Delhi¡¯s hazardous air
Rohit Kushwaha waits for a customer as he delivers his last parcel of the day, in New Delhi in January. His work as a delivery driver has helped pay the family¡¯s bills, but has had a significant impact on his health.
Yen hits 40-year low against the dollar, breaking ?162 level
Japan's currency broke ?162 to the dollar on Tuesday in Tokyo.
Japan falls in gut-wrenching fashion as Brazil strikes late to win World Cup clash
Brazil's Gabriel Martinelli (right) shoots past Japan defenders Shogo Taniguchi (left) and Takehiro Tomiyasu to score in the second half of a match in the round of 32 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Houston on Monday.
Japan¡¯s fertility system offers few safe paths for same-sex couples
A Tokyo Pride parade participant holds a sign that says "we want to be a married couple, not a couple."
Inside Japan¡¯s rigid adoption system, a British family finds a way
James Benstead, his wife, Jesse, and their three children. Their adopted son is in the rear stroller.
A French ship with close ties to Japan combines arts and sciences on the high seas
Romain Troubl¨¦, the executive director of Tara Ocean Foundation, speaks to visitors aboard the Tara during a rare port call in Tokyo in April.
In Kyushu¡¯s far south, Senti.U sparks a culinary destination
Chef Yasuhiko Uchida was born in Saga Prefecture but has made his home in Kanoya, Kagoshima Prefecture, since 2012.
¡®The colors speak for themselves¡¯: How Japan¡¯s chroma bible went global
¡°A Dictionary of Color Combinations¡± is meant to function as a quick-reference guide for artists, designers and anyone with a passing interest in aesthetics as a quantifiable pursuit.

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One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo¡¯s Shinjuku Ward.
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