|
Japanese legal naming is weird. When a woman marries she has to legally change her last name (don't get me started). Obviously children get that name as well. When they divorce, however, most women I know revert to their maiden name...and if the father is out of the picture, so do the children. Also, if a woman (with children in full custody) remarries, then everyone (including the children) get the new name. Japan is very centered on family units having the same name for their records.
At the moment I believe Mariko's maiden name is Hamasaki, that she switched back to after divorcing Ayu's father. Of course it could also be her father's name, but from what I understand it would be a bit weird.
|