surname

Japanese Couples File Lawsuit Over Controversial Surname Law

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Six couples are suing the Japanese government over a law that requires married spouses to have the same surname, the latest legal challenge against a century-old custom that many argue perpetuates inequality, as well as personal and practical harm. Ten plaintiffs—including legal and common law couples—will file suit in a Tokyo district court and one … Read more

Many Costa Ricans welcome ruling that they don’t have to use father’s surname first

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SAN JOSE, Costa Rica — Many Costa Ricans on Friday welcomed a ruling this week by the country’s Supreme Court of Justice eliminating the requirement that people use their father’s surname before their mother’s on identification documents. In Spanish-speaking nations, people usually go by two last names. In Costa Rica, if a man were named … Read more