All Japanese will have Sato as their surname in 2531

Japan’s most common surname will become the only one if the country’s marriage rules are not changed.
This is shown by a new study from the University of Tokyo.
– The opposition to this law is great in Japan, says journalist Erik Augustin Palm on site in Tokyo.

Many dismissed it as an April Fool’s joke.

But while “everyone’s name is Glenn in Gothenburg” can quickly be dismissed as a lie, “everyone’s name is Sato in Japan” may become completely true in the future. It shows a study from Tohoku University, reports The Guardian.

“Not a good world to live in”

Japan is the only country where married couples must have the same surname. If the country’s marriage law is not changed, all Japanese will be named Sato by 2531, according to the study.

– I don’t think it would be a good world to live in, says Hiroshi Yoshida, who is behind the research study.

Pressure to change the law is strong among Japanese, but several conservative members of the ruling party believe such a change would be confusing for children and undermine family unity.

– Hiroshi Yoshida is one of many Japanese people who oppose this marriage rule, which they say goes against individuality and really has nothing to do with love and marriage, says journalist Erik Augustin Palm on location in Tokyo.

Surnames may be forced to be replaced

Today, about 1.5 percent of the inhabitants of Japan have the surname Sato – which corresponds to about two million people. The result is based on the increase of 0.83 percent between 2022 and 2023 continuing at the same rate.

After the study was published, several people worried about the consequences it could lead to. In a country with surnames – the concept of surname will have played its role and must then be replaced by something else.

– A problem that is raised if this now happens is that Japanese people may have to start being addressed by numbers instead of names. It is also a way for this professor, who is a bit of an activist in the matter, to point out how ridiculous this is, says Erik Augustin Palm.