Jun 24 (NHK) - Japan's Supreme Court has ruled that an article of the country's civil code that says married couples must have the same surname does not violate the Constitution.
The court's issuance of the view was its second, following one in 2015.
Chief Justice Otani Naoto handed down the ruling on Wednesday.
The court heard cases filed in 2018 by three common-law couples who demanded that authorities accept marriage registration by spouses with different surnames.
They claimed that related articles of the civil code and Japan's family register law violate the Constitution, as they run counter to its stipulation of gender equality.
The cases were dismissed by lower courts and the Supreme Court.
Wednesday's ruling also said marriage registration by couples with different surnames cannot be accepted by authorities.
