Yoshihisa Aono, president of software firm Cybozu Inc., and a woman from Kanagawa Prefecture are filing a lawsuit and demanding 2.2 million yen (about $19,300) in compensation from the government. The charge concerns the law in Japan about sharing a surname after marriage.

While Japanese citizens who marry foreign nationals have the option to keep their surname, the law does not allow that freedom to Japanese couples. Divorcees, however, can choose whether to retain the same surname regardless of nationality.

Yoshihisa has earned success in the business world with his pre-marriage surname "Aono," but he had to adopt his wife’s surname when he got married in 2001. However, this approach caused problems. He was forced to update the names on his shares and the process cost him about 3 million yen.

On the other hand, the woman who filled the case said she had an attachment to her maiden name and that her identity and pride were lost due to the surname law.

With women empowerment growing, the demand for a system where married couples can choose to retain their surnames is increasing in Japan.