Those in favor of permitting married couples to have different surnames far outnumber those opposing it, according to a government survey released Saturday.
The Cabinet Office survey shows 65.1 percent of respondents favor the use of separate surnames by married couples while 29.9 percent oppose such a system.
The latest findings could pave the way for legal changes to allow the two-name system. Supporters of the system say they may submit relevant bills to the Diet during the extraordinary Diet session to be convened in the fall.