Couple divorced and got remarried every 3 years because they couldn't agree upon one crucial matter

Marriage can be tricky, particularly when the people involved are not willing to compromise. A couple from Japan were happily in love, but neither of them wanted to change their surnames after marriage. This sparked a controversy unlike anything encountered by the Japanese system, as by law, married couples are bound to take up one common surname. When this couple finally decided to tie the knot and make it official, they fought the system to retain their surnames but failed. However, they were not ones to give up and went against the odds to maintain their autonomy, as reported by Japanese outlet The Mainichi. 

The husband and wife, both 32, made an unconventional decision to switch their surnames every three years. How? By getting divorced and remarried, to alternate between their legal names. Hailing from a Tokyo suburb, Hachioji, the couple had dated since college and turned their romance into a partnership over time. However, one thing remained constant–their dispute over taking up each other’s surnames. "Don't women normally change their surnames to the guys'?" said the husband when the woman decided to retain her maiden name. A fight ensued.

According to the report, the woman’s friends called her by a nickname that was a parody of her last name. Hence, changing her surname would mean she would lose all of that. The surname problem remained at the center of their marriage discussions until the husband went out and found a resolution. One day at work, he was made privy to interesting information about a couple who switched their surnames every three years. He ran back home and conveyed it to his wife, who was happy to oblige. The wedding happened. While on their honeymoon, the newlyweds took the biggest challenge of their lives and drew straws to decide on their last names. 

As fate had it, the husband’s surname came up first. So, the Japanese couple were content with the name for three years, not a day more than that. After they filed for their first divorce, the couple then remarried under the wife’s surname. Equality comes with a price. It created problems when the husband began using his legal name at work and on official documentation. "In important settings, I was reminded that my name was not my name," the husband, who wished to be unnamed, admitted. The couple also appealed to the family court to retain their family names, but their efforts were deemed futile. 

The couple stumbled upon the story of film director Kazuhiro Soda, who goes by @sodakazuhiro on Instagram, and his wife, Kiyoko Kashiwagi, who managed to remain married with different last names. This was made possible under the New York law in 1997. Nevertheless, their marriage was only registered abroad, and their registration was invalid in Tokyo. Their surname dreams soon materialized after the Tokyo District Court ruled in their favor in April 2021, becoming pioneers in this regard. The couple was directed to the family court to have their marital status recognized in Japan. Meanwhile, the couple mentioned earlier were scheduled for another divorce in July 2022.