TOKYO, Dec 16 : Japan's top court on Wednesday upheld a law that requires married couples to have a common surname, sparking criticism from activists who complain the rule is sexist and outdated.
In a separate but also highly anticipated decision, the Supreme Court said a six-month waiting period for women remarrying after divorce was excessive and should be reduced.
The remarriage law is linked to complex rules over the timing of a child's birth after divorce -- designed to determine whether a baby belonged to the ex-husband or the new spouse's family in an era before DNA testing.     ?AFP