Komeito Chief Seeks Dual-Surname Talks with LDP

Tokyo, Dec. 18 (Jiji Press)--Komeito head Tetsuo Saito called Wednesday for talks within the ruling coalition toward introducing a selective surname system for married couples in Japan.

During a luncheon with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, also president of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, the leader of the LDP's coalition partner proposed to launch working-level discussions between the two parties to fix details of the system.

Specifically, Saito said it is necessary to consider family register system reform and ways to choose children's last names.

In reply, Ishiba only said he will put the Komeito proposal to the LDP's internal debate.

Some LDP lawmakers have stubbornly been opposing allowing married couples to choose separate family names.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]