Job Discussion Forums

[TokyoLiz]

Do you use a tsushou, a legal alias? How do you get one? What are the advantages and limits of its use?

My full name is very long and hard to spell and say (many English speakers mangle my surname!). My partner's myoji is a beast to write.

[mitsui]

Debito would know.
Look at his website.
It must be easier if you naturalize.

My name is tough too, but my wife took it as hers.
At work she is Ms. Mitsui.

[cat mother]

I do. But in my case it's my last name written in kanji.
I got it approved at city hall. In fact, they suggested it themselves saying it would make things a lot easier for their system as well.

I got a paper I had to fill out explaining why I wanted to use a kanji version, and I had to provide proof that I am already known as "Ms. kanji version". A point card to a hair salon was sufficient.

Since that day all city correspondence, tax papers, other official what nots started coming addressed to "Ms kanji version".

At my current job I am "Ms kanji version", I've used the name to open bank accounts, settle stuff in court and basically everywhere else except my driver's license. They refused to put it there saying it had to be the same as in my passport.

My first name is a common Japanese name, too, so even though they asked if I wanted it in kanji as well, I settled for hiragana.

[TokyoLiz]

Thanks for the info, Cat Mother. Lots of food for thought about arranging my name as Mr. Raito (who has a beautiful, difficult to write surname) and me are moving in together.