For Those Considering Naturalization: Can You Use a Middle Name in Your Japanese Name?
Naturalization refers to a foreign national acquiring Japanese nationality. Since you become a “Japanese person,” you will adopt a Japanese name. But can you use a “middle name,” commonly seen in foreign names, when doing so?
What is Naturalization?
Naturalization is the process by which foreign nationals residing in Japan acquire Japanese nationality. To do so, they must submit an application and required documents to the Regional Immigration Bureau for review. If the application is approved, they lose their current foreign nationality and acquire Japanese nationality.
The application requires numerous documents, and the screening process typically takes about one year. The screening involves not only verifying the information on the documents but also conducting an interview with the applicant, visiting their home and workplace, and making telephone confirmations.
Names of Naturalized Foreigners
Once naturalization is granted and you become a “Japanese citizen,” you must consider a name suitable for a Japanese person. There are two key rules for deciding on a name:
First, after naturalization, the previous name cannot be used anymore, so a “Japanese name” must be used. Second, the “Japanese name” must be decided upon when applying for naturalization.
The characters that can be used for the “Japanese name” after naturalization are three types: kanji, hiragana, and katakana. Among these, kanji are limited to those listed in the “List of Commonly Used Kanji” and the “List of Kanji for Personal Names.” In other words, it follows the same rules as the current “regulations concerning Japanese names.”
For example, a current foreign name like “Tom Hanks” can be retained in katakana (Hanks Tom), hiragana (hankusu tomu), or kanji (Hankusu Tomi). Essentially, only the previous use of alphabetic characters becomes unavailable.
Note that Japan currently does not permit married couples to have different family names (separate family names for spouses). Therefore, after naturalization, the naturalized person must adopt the Japanese spouse’s family name, or the Japanese spouse must adopt the naturalized person’s family name.
Can a middle name be used?
As explained earlier, the “Japanese name” after naturalization follows the same rules governing names used by Japanese citizens.
A “Japanese name” must consist of a surname (legally “氏”) and a given name (legally ‘名’). This means that in Japanese names, the concept of a “middle name” as used in foreign countries does not exist and is not permitted.
Therefore, even if a naturalized former foreign national wishes to include their previously used middle name in their Japanese name, it is not legally permitted.
Summary
When a foreign national is granted naturalization and acquires Japanese nationality, they must change their name to a Japanese name. However, a middle name cannot be used; only a surname and given name are permitted.
