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Name change before moving to Japan? 2008/7/16 13:00
Hello, I'm planning on moving to Japan after college, but before I do that I was thinking of changing my name. Does anyone know if that would cause problems?
by JD  

? 2008/7/16 18:40
What do you mean by changing your name - to a Japanese one (or Japanese-sounding one), do you mean?

If that's what you mean, it is completely unnecessary unless you reach a point sometime in the future where you want to "naturalize" yourself to Japanese, in many many years' time - you cannot and do not have to do that at all now. Even if it was from good intention to present yourself as someone familiar with Japan, I think it will cause more problem if the name you refer to yourself with is different from the one in your passport (in terms of booking air ticket, hotels, or signing up for school, work, etc., whenever ID is required).

Of course, if you want to give yourself a nickname, for your friends to call you by, that's no problem.
by AK rate this post as useful

! 2008/7/17 00:43
I had a similar question, but it's about changing my name before I move. I'm going there for school next year, and my last name is horribly complicated. I've always wanted to change it to my middle name, but now I'm worried that if I change it before I go, it might screw up my visa.

Anyone know about this?
by Kelly rate this post as useful

umm... 2008/7/17 04:43
I mean changing it to a non japanese sounding name. I only plan on changing my middle name. This is 3 or 4 years before I move to japan.
by JD rate this post as useful

name change 2008/7/17 05:31
how could it be problem! once your name change is official all your papers (driver license, social security card, Health care card, passport, credit cards) will have your new legal name. You will ask your visa under your new legal name.
by Monkey see rate this post as useful

,,, 2008/7/17 07:02
Sorry JD, I misunderstood your question. If you are having your name change procedure completed (so that everything is consistent on your papers), then that would be no problem.
by AK rate this post as useful

names 2008/7/17 09:33
I agree. Legally changing your name 3 years or more before you arrive in Japan shouldn't cause any problems at all.

Applying for a visa and then changing your name before arriving in Japan would obviously cause confusion, but 3 or 4 years in advance it won't.
by Sira rate this post as useful

.. 2008/7/17 11:03
I still don't really understand the question, but a lot of people around the world do change their names, officially and unofficially. Typically it is done among marriage: The maiden family name is changed to the Spouse family name.

One of the major problems that may occur is when two different documents have different names. For example, a lot of newlyweds book their honeymoon flights under their new name (ie. Mrs. Something). Then at the airport they realise they hadn't re-issued their passport which is under their maiden name (Miss Other), and they cannot board their flight. In the same sense, you might be asked for an ID to prove that the bank account is yours and all you have at the moment may be IDs in different names.

So it's not that you shouldn't change your name, but when changing names, you should make sure you have all the documents to prove that the older name represents you as well, and you should consult to the clerk each time you make an official record using your name.

On a related note, most Japanese don't have middle names and Japan does not require middle names in most documents they issue.
by Uco rate this post as useful

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