Half-Japanese wants name in Kanji

I am half Japanese but not yet a Japanese citizen. My family name is in Kanji but my given name isn't. It's a pretty common Japanese name but I write it in Katakana because that's how my parents taught me.

Is there a way for me to get a Kanji for my name? Does it require a legal process? I've looked over some kanjis and I already have an idea on what I'll choose but suggestions would be appreciated.

Thank you so much!:)

If you are not a Japanese citizen (if you are not on Japanese "koseki" - family register), there is no way to legally change your name into kanji, right? I mean, I don't know where you are living, but where you are a citizen of, there is no kanji writing recognized, I assume?

In my view, Japanese names, inclusive of their kanji (or other) writing, are something given by the parents. So you could ask your parents why they chose that name, and what kanji they had in mind :)

Rather than choosing a kanji that you like, have you considered asking your parents what kanji was actually used by your family? Personally, i think that this would have more meaning for me than just kanji that you like the look or meaning of.
As AK said, unless you're in Japan or possibly a country that recognises Japanese or Chinese characters, you would only be getting the kanji for aesthetic reasons.

Well I live here in Japan. My mother isn't Japanese so she doesn't really have a clue about my name's Kanji.. and I would ask my father if he's still around which he isn't.
So there's no way I can have my name in Kanji unless I become a citizen?

I have a friend who changed his name, and I don't think he changed his citizenship. Ask someone down at your kuyakusho or city hall; they'd know better than random people on the internet.

You are not Japanese, but you live in Japan now, correct?

Japanese authorities do not have the authority to acknowledge any change in the names of non-Japanese people. Please think about it, I am Japanese, if I went to the US and lived there for a while, and went to the States official to ask to have my name changed, they would tell me to go to Japanese embassy/government, that's who issued my passport.

The only thing you can do is to have an "alias" registered on your Alien Registration (or New Resident system).

shinsuke44,

You are absolutely free to choose any kanji you want for your name and use it for private or business purposes and even print it on your name card, house name plate, mail etc. Everybody does that. You don't have to check with your authorities.

But if you want to use kanji on your passport or contracts or police reports or any sort of official document, you need to have it legally registered.

To have a name legally registered in kanji, you need to obtain Japanese citizenship.

As for the choice of kanji, there are basically no rules. Ask your close friends for advise, if you need any. You don't want to embarass yourself by printing odd names on your name card.

But very often, non-Japanese people would pick up some funny kanji from Japanese tourists or something and write it in front of every Japanese they meet, just to entertain them, which is great, too.

Any questions?

Do you or your mum know anything about your father such as where he is from, in particular where he was born and what his date of birth are? Having a common surname and not knowing the characters will muddy the waters a bit but if he was born in a smallish town then you could possibly track your ancestry and find out the correct kanji. You could also learn something about your father's side of the family.
My mother (who is Japanese) has spent quite some time tracking her lineage via local council records, temple records, etc.
I understand that this is time consuming and difficult but personally, i think it would be much more rewarding.
For example, my mum has found out that we have actual Daimyo lineage so have a true family crest (and not an adopted one like the vast majority of Japanese families), once owned a temple in Shizuoka that is still there and still contains the names of many of my ancestors. Apparently we also once owned several blocks of land near the imperial palace in Tokyo (which she already knew) before it was carpet bombed in WW2 and then rezoned and lost but she was able to find old Tokyo maps that showed the name of the area because it was named after that side of the family.
Some of this has taken my mum quite a while to find out but for me too, it has been great to find this out and something i can pass down to my kids.

Thank you so much for your replies.

I wanted to have my name in Kanji so it'll have meaning and not just some name. I feel weird having to write my last name in Kanji and my very common first name in kana. I am not changing my name I'm just asking if I could write it differently. Just like if you are Japanese and you moved to the US of course you're gonna want to have you name written in Alphabet or Romaji right?

Is it socially acceptable if I do obtain a Kanji for my name? Is it gonna be frowned upon by Japanese people and say I'm trying too hard to be Japanese?


Again thank you for your replies. :)

I was somehow under the impression that you wanted it "official," thus my earlier answer about having it changed officially. And now I know that you don't have a way to get your parents' thoughts, thus potentially the kanji they had in mind, behind the name they gave you.

Just like if you are Japanese and you moved to the US of course you're gonna want to have you name written in Alphabet or Romaji right?
It is not "really" the same, because an originally Japanese name given and written in kanji can be written in romaji or katakana or hiragana, because they are its phonetic representation. In your case, the name you've been given originally was not in kanji.

Still, it is no probem if you adopt a kanji, or a combination of kanji, for your name, and use it in your every day life :) I hope you've found some nice kanji combination for your name :)