Japan is the only nation where married couples must use the same surname. Critics say it violates women’s rights and, unless the rule is scrapped, all Japanese could be surnamed Sato in 500 years.
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Anthony Kuhn is NPR's correspondent based in Seoul, South Korea, reporting on the Korean Peninsula, Japan, and the great diversity of Asia's countries and cultures. Before moving to Seoul in 2018, he traveled to the region to cover major stories including the North Korean nuclear crisis and the Fukushima earthquake and nuclear disaster.