present to former teacher

I will be going to Japan in 2 weeks and i will be seeing a former Japanese student teacher I met in band here in the US. He helped me get concert tickets to my favorite Japanese band. So I want to get him a thank you gift. He told me hes working as an english teacher in japan so I want to get him a little placket with his name engraved on it for his desk. Now should I put his first name then last name? I know in japan usually the last name goes first but does it apply in this situation too? Also is this an appropriate gift for him? Thank you!

- Do you know if he is a full-time, regular teacher at a school (like junior high, senior high school), or at an English conversation school? He might not even have his regular desk if it is the latter. You mean desk plaque, right?

- As long as you write it using alphabets, I would write his first name first, and family name after that :)

He said hes working at hiroshima train station so I think hes a conversational english teacher. I think ifs something he could use anywhere even at home or if he gets a full time job as a teacher somewhere else.