A gate and the main hall of Kume Shisei-byou, a temple dedicated to ancient Chinese philosopher Confucius, in Matsuyama Park in Naha, Okinawa Prefecture, on Feb. 12 (Shohei Okada)
NAHA The Supreme Court on Feb. 24 ruled that the Naha city government violated the constitutional separation of politics and religion by not collecting rent from a Confucian temple on public land.
The top court’s Grand Bench said the city’s act “deserved to be judged as giving a helping hand to a particular religion.”
Of the 15 justices, Keiichi Hayashi was the only one who viewed the city’s act as “constitutional.”
At the center of lawsuit was Kume Shisei-byou, a temple dedicated to ancient Chinese philosopher Confucius, located in Matsuyama Park in the Okinawa prefectural capital of Naha.
Lawmakers of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party on Dec. 4 discuss guidelines to ensure gender equality. The issue of dual surnames was raised at the meeting. (Sawa Okabayashi)
Lawsuits filed over the constitutionality of a legal provision that prevents married couples from registering separate surnames are heading to the Supreme Court’s Grand Bench.
The top court’s Petty Bench on Dec. 9 decided to refer three cases, filed by couples in de facto marriages, to the Grand Bench.
The Grand Bench in December 2015 upheld the constitutionality of a long-standing Civil Code stipulation that requires married couples to use the same surname.