According to a frightening simulation, Japan’s tight marriage regulations could lead to a situation where all citizens share the same surname by 2531.
Considering that married couples are already required to take on the same family name—a law that is exclusive to Japan—observers are alarmed by this projection.
As stated by Tohoku University economist professor Hiroshi Yoshida, if this pattern persists, the common Japanese surname, “Sato,” may eventually come to represent the entirety of the Japanese people.
The simulation component of the Think Name Project aims to visualize a future in which “Sato” is so pervasive in the landscape, businesses, and sports jerseys that people will be compelled to worry about their own identity.The average number of weddings in Japan is about 500,000, which means that every year roughly half a million people in the country change their surname. This is one of the main causes of the rise in the “Sato” surname.
