Photo/Illutration Tomoko Yoshino, president of Rengo (Japanese Trade Union Confederation), addresses the annual convention of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party on March 9 in Tokyo. (Koichi Ueda)

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba’s Liberal Democratic Party is under pressure to allow married couples to have separate surnames, after the leader of Japan’s largest labor organization called for the change at the party’s own annual convention.

“The proposed system will allow those who wish to have separate surnames to do so, and it is not mandatory. Nor does it exclude those who wish to have the same family name as their spouse,” said Tomoko Yoshino, president of Rengo (Japanese Trade Union Confederation), the nation’s largest labor union umbrella organization.

During her speech at the party’s convention on March 9, Yoshino urged LDP lawmakers to pass the legislation during the current Diet session.

The remarks were met with surprise by some party members opposed to allowing separate surnames, as they had not expected her to mention it on stage.

Meanwhile, lawmakers who support the change noted the issue is now in the spotlight.

“The party can no longer ignore the issue,” one said.

This is the first time in 20 years that the LDP has invited a Rengo leader to its annual convention.

The move is seen as the party’s attempt to gain support from labor unions by showcasing its cooperation with Rengo to increase wages.

It is also intended to undermine the LDP’s political rivals, as Rengo is the main support base for two key opposition parties: the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and the Democratic Party for the People.

With the Upper House elections approaching this summer, Yoshino’s attendance at the convention raised eyebrows both within Rengo and the CDP, the largest opposition party.

Nevertheless, Rengo’s leadership saw this as an opportunity to press the LDP on the dual-surname issue and other key matters.

In her speech at the gathering, Yoshino emphasized the importance of mutual understanding between Rengo and the LDP, despite their political differences. 

Rengo’s recent approach to the LDP doesn’t necessarily indicate a significant shift in the political landscape of the Diet, particularly since Yoshino had previously opposed the idea of the CDP and DPP joining the ruling coalition.

Despite opinion polls indicating that the majority of voters support allowing dual-surname options, many conservative lawmakers in the LDP have stalled progress on the issue, citing their supporters’ preference for traditional family values.

(This article was written by Nozomi Matsui and Taishi Sasayama.)

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