Potential successors to Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in the Liberal Democratic Party’s presidential race have divided opinions on allowing married couples to have separate surnames and allowing same-sex couples to marry, surveys showed.

Keidanren (Japan Business Federation) has urged the government to swiftly introduce a dual-surname option, saying that the current system, which mandates a shared surname, hinders corporate activities.

The topic may become a focal point in the LDP presidential election in September.

The joint surveys were conducted by The Asahi Shimbun and a research team from the University of Tokyo’s Graduate Schools for Law and Politics.

The analysis covered responses from 12 LDP members in Lower House elections up to the last one in 2021. The respondents included Kishida, 67, who has announced that he will not run in the upcoming LDP leadership election.

The joint surveys have asked since 2014 whether the law should allow couples the option to maintain separate surnames after marriage. Respondents were given five options to indicate their level of agreement or disagreement with the possibility. 

NODA CONSISTENTLY IN FAVOR

In the 2021 survey, Seiko Noda, 63, a former internal affairs and communications minister, and Taro Kono, 61, the digital transformation minister, indicated they would support the change.

Shigeru Ishiba, 67, was “somewhat in favor.”

Noda has consistently supported a dual-surname option since 2014.

Kono did not respond in 2014, but responded that he was somewhat in favor in 2017 and became supportive in 2021.

Ishiba did not take a stance in 2014 and 2017, but he shifted to somewhat in favor in 2021.

On the other hand, Kishida was somewhat opposed in 2014 but did not answer in 2017 or 2021.

Sanae Takaichi, 63, the state minister for economic security, her predecessor Takayuki Kobayashi, 49, and Ken Saito, 65, the minister of economy, trade and industry, said somewhat opposed in 2021.

Takaichi was against a dual-surname option in 2014 and did not take a stance in 2017.

Kobayashi did not answer in 2014 but opposed in 2017.

Katsunobu Kato, 68, a former health, labor and welfare minister, and Yoko Kamikawa, 71, the foreign minister, did not take a stance in 2021.

Toshimitsu Motegi, 68, the LDP secretary-general, said he couldn’t decide in 2014 and did not respond in 2017 or 2021.

Shinjiro Koizumi, 43, a former environment minister, has not provided responses since 2014.

Yoshimasa Hayashi, 63, the chief Cabinet secretary, has not replied since 2019 when he was an Upper House lawmaker.

The average opinion among eligible voters has shifted from neutral to favorable on the issue.

The average stance among LDP candidates for the Lower House elections has moved from opposed to neutral. However, there is still a gap between the LDP members’ opinions and those of voters.

In a separate poll conducted by The Asahi Shimbun on July 20 and 21, 73 percent of respondents supported introducing a dual-surname option, significantly outnumbering the 21 percent who opposed it.

A similar survey in April 2021 showed 67 percent were in favor while 26 percent were opposed.

The gap between the support rate and the opposition rate has widened.

KONO ALONE BACKS SAME-SEX MARRIAGE

Opinions on the legalization of same-sex marriage also varied among LDP presidential hopefuls.

The joint surveys since 2017 have asked whether marriages between same-sex couples should be legally recognized, giving respondents five options.

In the 2021 survey, Kono was the only one who supported legalizing same-sex marriage, while Noda responded that she somewhat supported it.

In 2017, Kono was somewhat opposed, and Noda did not take a stance.

Both have since shifted toward support.

Ishiba, Kato, Kamikawa and Saito did not take a stance in 2017 or 2021.

Takaichi chose opposed in 2021. She had been somewhat opposed in 2017.

Kobayashi was somewhat opposed in 2021. He had been opposed in 2017.

Among the LDP presidential hopefuls, Koizumi, Hayashi and Motegi did not respond.

Similar to dual surnames, there is a gap between the opinions of eligible voters and LDP candidates. Voters have shifted from neutral to favorable. LDP members have moved from opposed but remain only neutral.

The joint survey, conducted by The Asahi Shimbun and the University of Tokyo’s Graduate Schools for Law and Politics since 2003, asks mainly national election candidates about their policies and perspectives and compares their responses with those of voters.

For this latest survey, the research team from the University of Tokyo included Masaki Taniguchi, professor at the university’s Graduate Schools for Law and Politics, and Shusuke Takamiya, assistant professor at Takushoku University’s Faculty of Political Science and Economics.

Tsuneo Sasai, Masashi Kisanuki, and Yoshiyuki Komurata from The Asahi Shimbun handled the survey.

(This article was written by Tsuneo Sasai and Masashi Kisanuki.)