Justice Minister Daizo Nozawa said Monday that steps will be taken to stop family registry birth records from distinguishing between children born out of wedlock and those born to married couples.

A district court ruling last week acknowledged that distinctions of this kind constitute violations of privacy.

"We take note of the judgment and will consider a form of family registration that takes into fuller account the need to protect privacy," Nozawa told a session of the House of Councilors Audit Committee.