Research has shown that in 500 years, every Japanese last name will be ‘Sato’. [사진출처 = 연합뉴스]
A study has shown that if the current system where couples must use the same last name in Japan continues, in about 500 years, around 2531, everyone’s last name will be ‘Sato’, which is the most common surname on now.
The Asahi Shimbun reported on the 1st that Hiroshi Yoshida, a professor at Tohoku University’s Aging Economy Research Center, said that if Japan does not introduce a ‘selective marital surname system’ that allows couples to use different surnames, this result will obtained due to changes in surnames.
Professor Yoshida noted that Sato, the most common surname used by 1.5% of Japanese people, increased by 0.83% between 2022 and 2023.
He argued that, assuming the current system of same-sex marriage continues, if the proportion of Sato surnames increases at the same rate over the past year, 50% of Japanese will have Sato by 2446, and by 2531, all Japanese will be using the surname Sato..
However, if a selective surname system is introduced and the number of couples using the same surname reaches 40%, the number of people using the Sato surname in 2531 will only be 7.96% of Japanese people.
However, the Ashi Shimbun reported that the results of this study appear to have only applied the growth rate trend of the Sato surname in order to critically examine the same-sex marriage system.
For this reason, some point out that the assumptions from which the conclusion was drawn are too extreme.
There is also an opinion that such a conclusion is unrealistic because surnames can be created or changed in Japan.
Regarding this, Professor Yoshida explained, “It’s easier to understand the effect if it’s shown in numbers,” and “If everyone has the same last name, there’s no point in using the last name in the first place. “
Japan is known to be the only country with a same-sex marriage system set out in law.
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