Tokyo, Feb 5 (IANS): More than 40 per cent of Japanese individuals wish to continue using their original surnames at work after marriage, according to a Cabinet Office survey.

Some 43.3 per cent of respondents prefer to retain the original names in the workplace, a 4.2 percentage point increase from a similar poll in 2023. Meanwhile, 55.2 per cent stated they would not choose to do so.

By age group, support was strongest among those in the 30s, with 57.8 per cent favouring the option.

Gender-based differences were also observed in the results. Among men, 47.7 per cent supported the idea of keeping the original surname at work, up 3.5 points from the previous survey. Among women, 39.6 per cent were in favor, marking a 4.9-point increase.

The survey also examined perceptions of gender equality in Japan. When asked whether they believe society as a whole treats men and women equally, only 16.7 per cent responded affirmatively.

The survey targeted 5,000 Japanese men and women aged 18 and older, with a response rate of approximately 53.3 per cent.

Meanwhile, according to a data released by Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, the number of welfare applications in Japan reached 22,320 in November 2024, marking a 1.6 per cent increase from the same month the previous year and the highest for November in the past decade.

The ministry attributed the rise in applications to factors such as an increase in single-person households and an aging population.

As of November 2024, the total number of welfare-recipient households stood at 1,651,995, a slight decrease of 0.1 per cent compared to the same month in 2023.

As Japan is seeing persistent inflation and food price hikes, the ministry urged those facing financial hardship to seek assistance at their local government offices.