Job Discussion Forums

[4nic8r]

Just curious about something... anyone who has married someone abroad (i.e. Japan, Korea, China, HK etc) if your spouse has taken your family name... or did they keep their family name? Also, for females who have married men, have you changed your family name?

[The Great Wall of Whiner]

I married a Japanese girl many years ago, and she took my name because she didn't want to be anything but white.

Pure and simple, she is a banana (yellow on the outside, all white in the middle).

Refused to teach me Japanese, or even speak Japanese to our daughter. I WAS THE ONE who was speaking Japanese to her to keep a bit of her heritage.

Anyways, yeah, she still has the name although we are divorced and she has no plans on going back to her maiden name.

Maybe I should demand I want my name back

[guest of Japan]

I'm married to a Japanese woman in Japan. At first my wife decided to keep her name. However, after doing some reading, I found that family life can become very legally convoluted with the wife having a different name in Japan. My wife later changed her name.

In Japan if the relationship is between two Japanese people then the wife must change her name.

If the relationship is between a foreigner and a Japanese (Male to Female) the wife has a choice as to which name to use. There is only a six month period after marriage in which the wife can change the name. If the wife continues with the Japanese name any future children will take her family name. This can cause a huge legal obstacle if a divorce occurs. Basically, in this case, the foreign father has absolutely no rights to the children.

[The Great Wall of Whiner]

Guest of Japan wrote:

[guest of Japan]

I don't know.

[saloc]

[quote="guest of Japan"]
In Japan if the relationship is between two Japanese people then the wife must change her name.

I'm pretty sure this isn't actually the case. I think (although am not 100%sure) that the husband and wife have to have the same last name, but that could be the name of either family. I think it depends on whether the man is seen as marrying into the woman's family or vice versa. I don't think it matters whether both parties are Japanese or not.

[once again]

I am married in Hong Kong. My wife has kept her Chinese name. In fact she tells me that it is very rare for chinese people who marry chinese people in HK to change their names. This is certainly what I have found to be the case also with the names of parents of my students. I am told this is because it is just too much trouble to change. Too many departments etc..ID card, passport etc.. There may be other reasons but my wife says it is just because it is troublesome.

[hamel]

in korea, women don't lose their family name when they marry. my wife uses my family name on american documents, but retains her korean name in korea and in the korean language. my children have their mom's last name in korea and mine in the usa.

[4nic8r]

Hamel..

how does that work? I can understand how they would use your name when in your country, but in Korea, they use her family name? So that means, you have a western name for them and a korean na