News On Japan

Japan to Accept Unusual Baby Names

TOKYO, Dec 18 (News On Japan) - Japanese 'kira-kira names,' with atypical pronunciation or meaning, could soon be partially accepted under certain conditions, according to proposed guidelines from Japan's Ministry of Justice.

The revised Family Register Act, set to take effect on May 26th, 2025, will require the inclusion of furigana (phonetic readings) for names in family registries. The law stipulates that the reading must be "generally accepted".

Ahead of the implementation, the Ministry of Justice has issued a draft guideline to local governments, stating that kira-kira names—highly unusual or creative names—will be permitted in principle, provided that parents can offer appropriate explanations for the chosen readings.

Examples of acceptable names include Kokoa (written as "心愛") where parts of the characters are pronounced using the on-yomi or kun-yomi, and Sora (written as "蒼空") where certain parts of the character are omitted.

However, cases that could cause societal confusion, such as reading Takai (written as "高") as Hikushi, or Jiro as the pronunciation for Taro (written as "太郎"), will not be approved.

Source: FNN

News On Japan
POPULAR NEWS

Following the Japan-U.S. summit during the Trump administration, discussions about liquefied natural gas (LNG) imports gained momentum. The agreement to expand LNG purchases from the U.S. was seen as a key development, but significant challenges remain. Will this lead to lower gas prices in Japan? And what are the five countries that pose obstacles to fulfilling this commitment?

Japan’s recent decision to ease visa requirements for Chinese tourists has sparked mixed reactions, with some expecting an influx of visitors and others arguing that the impact will be limited.

Aichi’s famed Konomiya Hadaka Festival took place on February 10th at Konomiya Shrine in Inazawa City, where men clad in only fundoshi loincloths clashed in a frenzied struggle. The traditional event, which has continued for over 1,200 years, centers around the ‘Shin Otoko’ or ‘Sacred Man,’ chosen by lottery, whom participants believe will cleanse them of misfortune if they manage to touch him.

Rice prices in Japan continue to rise, despite the government’s plan to release emergency reserves in an effort to stabilize the market. A bowl of tendon, topped with freshly fried tempura, is incomplete without steaming hot rice, but the cost of this staple has been steadily increasing.

An avalanche occurred around noon on Monday along a prefectural road in Fukushima City, leaving two hot spring inns isolated once again due to record snowfall.

MEDIA CHANNELS
         

MORE Society NEWS

Authorities in Kobe are investigating a series of suspicious stones found placed on residential gates, warning they may serve as burglary markers.

Six Kyoto University students have been arrested for storming the university’s main administration building during a 2022 dormitory festival with about 250 others, disrupting operations with loudspeakers, leading police to conduct a search of Kumano Dormitory on Sunday.

Gen Z, known for valuing their personal time, is redefining how they unwind after work. From low-alcohol cocktails to board games, new trends are emerging in Tokyo's nightlife scene.

The annual Otomo Festival took place on February 6th at Kamikura Shrine, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Shingu City, Wakayama Prefecture. The event saw men clad in white robes, each carrying a flaming torch, racing down the shrine’s steep stone steps in a centuries-old tradition.

A 55-year-old demolition worker has been arrested on suspicion of violating Hokkaido’s Public Nuisance Prevention Ordinance after entering a convenience store wearing only stockings on his lower body and exposing himself to a female clerk.

A newly built public toilet in a remote village in Nara Prefecture has become the subject of controversy—not for its design, but for its staggering cost of nearly 1 billion yen.

North Safari Sapporo, a zoo in Sapporo, Hokkaido, known for allowing visitors to stay near lions and seals and often referred to as Japan’s 'most dangerous zoo,' is now facing potential closure due to a dispute over its land use.

Two self-styled "private arrest" YouTubers have been handed suspended sentences after being convicted of inciting a man to bring illegal drugs.