How to add a middle name?

I am not Japanese but married to a Japanese. My son has a Japanese first name. I want to add an Englush middle name. How do I go about doing it?

You can have his name legally changed;
however, the name system doesn't accommodate middle names, so you will have to have to append it to his given name (and I think it may have to be written in katakana). For example, if his name is Ichiro Ken Suzuki it would end up being�@—é–Ø�@ˆê˜YƒPƒ“, which makes it look like his first name is Ichiroken. This is how my daughter's Japanese name is recorded.

The other option is to leave his Japanese name as is and just register his full name in your home country with the middle name. So he would have different legal names in each country, e.g. —é–؈ê˜Y in Japan and Ichiro Ken Suzuki in your country. I know many people that have gone this route having different legal names for each country doesn't seem to be a problem.

I have a daughter born in Japan. Her first name is 2 names with a space dividing them.
The names need to be the same in both countries to remove any problems for your child in the future. Just check the posts on this site to see the problems different names cause some of the posters.

I have a daughter born in Japan. Her first name is 2 names with a space dividing them.

I'm curious how your daughter's name is registered in Japan? We were told directly that we couldn't register our daughter with three names.

The names need to be the same in both countries to remove any problems for your child in the future. Just check the posts on this site to see the problems different names cause some of the posters.

I agree that ideally, it will be easier if the names match. However, if you wish to use a middle name then they will not be able to match (as far as I have been instructed by our city hall).

I have a middle name too so not sure how they did mine. Probably 2 first name?

Is better to have the same name in 2 countries to avoid confusion. Probably I should go to city office? Do I have to have a name add / change by lawyers first before approaching the city office?

I have a middle name too so not sure how they did mine. Probably 2 first name?

Non-Japanese people can be registered with more than 2 names.

Is better to have the same name in 2 countries to avoid confusion.

As I mentioned, it makes things simpler, but it is far from necessary.

Probably I should go to city office? Do I have to have a name add / change by lawyers first before approaching the city office?

You city hall will be able to advise you on the proper procedures.

Jay,

Are either you or your spouse Japanese?

I have a daughter born in Japan. Her first name is 2 names with a space dividing them.

You mean on her passport? She can have a middle name on her passport but as yllwsmrf mentioned, her name written in Japanese will not have a middle name.

Some countries (for example UK) allow middle names to be added to the birth registrations/passports of dual national children born in Japan, where no middle name exists in the Japanese registration system. You can even register the father's last name as surname, if the mother is Japanese and her name is used on the Japanese birth certificate/koseki

A registered Japanese name on a koseki cannot have a middle name. Some people combine first and middle name with no space - but that often looks odd. It is possible under some circumstances to to insert a middle name as a registered alias. But an official Japanese name can only have two parts.

A non-Japanese child born in Japan is subject to the naming laws/registration of the nationality which he/she holds - so middle names are perfectly possible.

In terms of having different names in different countries - these names could be added to your Japanese registration/passport if you show your foreign passport and it is usually added in brackets - using either name is then legally acceptable in Japan for most purposes.