2013 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

Effects of introduction of the system of a married couple using separate surnames through revision of the Civil Law

Research Project

Project/Area Number	22700721
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
Allocation Type	Single-year Grants
Research Field	General human life sciences
Research Institution	Mukogawa Women's University (2013) Shoin Higashi Women's Junior College (2010-2012)
Principal Investigator	YOSHII Minako 武庫川女子大学, 文学部, 講師 (60413481)
Project Period (FY)	2010-04-01 – 2014-03-31
Keywords	夫婦別姓 / 民法改正 / 子どもと氏
Research Abstract	Effects of a new system allowing married couples to retain their original surnames, on families that have chosen this system was investigated. Especially, the relationship between the system and the development of children's identity was examined through a questionnaire survey, experiments using children's preferences for Japanese Kanji characters, and interviews with children aged 18-years or older that experienced a change in surnames because of parents' divorce, or re-marriage, among other reasons. The results indicated that most small children developed an interest in Kanji characters because of their names. In children that had experienced Changing surnames after parent's divorce, or re-marriage, caused problems for children, because they had to explain the change to people around them.On the other hand, such children tended to give higher priority to matters related to their real life, show little attachment to family surnames, and value their actual family relationships.