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Shinzo Abe? That’s Not His Name, Says Japan’s Foreign Minister Shinzo Abe? That’s Not His Name, Says Japan’s Foreign Minister
(about 16 hours later)
TOKYO — By now, President Trump and Japan’s prime minister are on a first-name basis.TOKYO — By now, President Trump and Japan’s prime minister are on a first-name basis.
But that could soon become more complicated. In Japan, a first name means something different: The Japanese refer to themselves with the surname first, then the given name. And Japan’s foreign minister says it is time for the Western world to respect his country’s tradition and render Japanese names in that order in English.But that could soon become more complicated. In Japan, a first name means something different: The Japanese refer to themselves with the surname first, then the given name. And Japan’s foreign minister says it is time for the Western world to respect his country’s tradition and render Japanese names in that order in English.
So the man Westerners know as Prime Minister Shinzo Abe would be called Abe Shinzo.So the man Westerners know as Prime Minister Shinzo Abe would be called Abe Shinzo.
The foreign minister, Taro Kono (or Kono Taro, if you please), issued his request to foreign media outlets during a news conference on Tuesday.The foreign minister, Taro Kono (or Kono Taro, if you please), issued his request to foreign media outlets during a news conference on Tuesday.
“As many news organizations write Chinese President Xi Jinping and South Korean President Moon Jae-in,” Mr. Kono said, noting that the surname-first template was followed for other Asian leaders, “it is desirable for Prime Minister Abe Shinzo’s name to be written in a similar manner.”“As many news organizations write Chinese President Xi Jinping and South Korean President Moon Jae-in,” Mr. Kono said, noting that the surname-first template was followed for other Asian leaders, “it is desirable for Prime Minister Abe Shinzo’s name to be written in a similar manner.”
Since opening to the West a century and a half ago, the Japanese have accepted that Westerners would refer to them not as they refer to themselves — surname first, then given name — but in reverse order.Since opening to the West a century and a half ago, the Japanese have accepted that Westerners would refer to them not as they refer to themselves — surname first, then given name — but in reverse order.
On their business cards — the exchange of which is a crucial part of commercial etiquette — many in Japan have their name printed surname first in Japanese on one side and given-name first in English on the other.On their business cards — the exchange of which is a crucial part of commercial etiquette — many in Japan have their name printed surname first in Japanese on one side and given-name first in English on the other.
But Mr. Kono suggested it would be a good time for news organizations to rethink their practices, because Mr. Trump is scheduled to arrive in Tokyo on Saturday for a state visit, and a Group of 20 summit meeting will be held in Osaka next month.But Mr. Kono suggested it would be a good time for news organizations to rethink their practices, because Mr. Trump is scheduled to arrive in Tokyo on Saturday for a state visit, and a Group of 20 summit meeting will be held in Osaka next month.
The Summer Olympics will also be held in Tokyo next year, and Mr. Kono said that the names of Japanese athletes should appear surname-first in video footage, just as the names of athletes from China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, South Korea and North Korea do.The Summer Olympics will also be held in Tokyo next year, and Mr. Kono said that the names of Japanese athletes should appear surname-first in video footage, just as the names of athletes from China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, South Korea and North Korea do.
The foreign minister’s request comes at a time when the Japanese government is simultaneously nurturing a revival of nationalism and spearheading an effort to draw in more foreigners as the native Japanese population wanes.The foreign minister’s request comes at a time when the Japanese government is simultaneously nurturing a revival of nationalism and spearheading an effort to draw in more foreigners as the native Japanese population wanes.
Mr. Abe is strongly supported by the far right wing of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, which hews to tradition and tends toward insularity.Mr. Abe is strongly supported by the far right wing of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, which hews to tradition and tends toward insularity.
But he has prioritized foreign policy and worked to elevate Japan as an international leader, and he has also nudged the country toward more openness, pushing the passage of a law late last year that authorized a sharp increase in the number of foreign workers who will be admitted to Japan.But he has prioritized foreign policy and worked to elevate Japan as an international leader, and he has also nudged the country toward more openness, pushing the passage of a law late last year that authorized a sharp increase in the number of foreign workers who will be admitted to Japan.
Globally minded Japanese say that as the United States under Mr. Trump re-evaluates its role as the champion of a democratic world order, Japan should not do anything that appears to be a retreat from the international community.Globally minded Japanese say that as the United States under Mr. Trump re-evaluates its role as the champion of a democratic world order, Japan should not do anything that appears to be a retreat from the international community.
“What I think is negative is a subliminal message that a change itself can send,” said Nobuko Kobayashi, a partner in Tokyo with the Japanese arm of Ernst & Young, the consulting firm.“What I think is negative is a subliminal message that a change itself can send,” said Nobuko Kobayashi, a partner in Tokyo with the Japanese arm of Ernst & Young, the consulting firm.
If Japan insists that Westerners revert to the traditional name-ordering convention, she said, some might view that as Japan “withdrawing from the Western world, and that is precisely not the message we want to send.”If Japan insists that Westerners revert to the traditional name-ordering convention, she said, some might view that as Japan “withdrawing from the Western world, and that is precisely not the message we want to send.”
Ms. Kobayashi, who graduated from the elite Tokyo University and has a graduate degree from Harvard Business School, said that ever since Japan opened to the West in the 19th century, its people had become adept at incorporating Western customs.Ms. Kobayashi, who graduated from the elite Tokyo University and has a graduate degree from Harvard Business School, said that ever since Japan opened to the West in the 19th century, its people had become adept at incorporating Western customs.
Reversing name order in different contexts is “a demonstration that Japanese culture is a flexible one,” she said. “As Japanese are comfortable using forks and knives when they eat Western food, they are also very comfortable using chopsticks” when they eat Japanese meals.Reversing name order in different contexts is “a demonstration that Japanese culture is a flexible one,” she said. “As Japanese are comfortable using forks and knives when they eat Western food, they are also very comfortable using chopsticks” when they eat Japanese meals.
It is not clear what Mr. Abe thinks of Mr. Kono’s proposal. He has not commented, although his chief cabinet secretary, Yoshihide Suga, told reporters that given the long-established practice of putting the surname last in Western contexts, “we need to consider many elements” before making a government recommendation.It is not clear what Mr. Abe thinks of Mr. Kono’s proposal. He has not commented, although his chief cabinet secretary, Yoshihide Suga, told reporters that given the long-established practice of putting the surname last in Western contexts, “we need to consider many elements” before making a government recommendation.
Japan’s education minister, Masahiko Shibayama, endorsed Mr. Kono’s proposal, which echoes a similar recommendation nearly two decades ago from the government’s National Language Council, which adjudicates various linguistic issues. Japan’s education minister, Masahiko Shibayama, endorsed Mr. Kono’s proposal, which echoes a similar recommendation nearly two decades ago from the government’s National Language Council, which adjudicates various linguistic issues. Shortly after the advisory was issued in 2000, the Education Ministry overhauled textbooks for junior high school English-language classes, putting Japanese names in surname-first order. Foreign media, however, did not follow.
Shortly after the advisory was issued in 2000, the Education Ministry overhauled textbooks for junior high school English-language classes, putting Japanese names in surname-first order. Foreign media, however, did not follow.
On Twitter, some critics ribbed Mr. Shibayama, pointing out that his name was listed on the Education Ministry’s English-language website as “Masahiko Shibayama” — an example of the huge undertaking that would be required to institute the change across the government. Mr. Shibayama changed the order of his name on Tuesday.On Twitter, some critics ribbed Mr. Shibayama, pointing out that his name was listed on the Education Ministry’s English-language website as “Masahiko Shibayama” — an example of the huge undertaking that would be required to institute the change across the government. Mr. Shibayama changed the order of his name on Tuesday.
Kumiko Torikai, a retired professor of English education and cross-cultural communication at Rikkyo University, said that the historic adoption of the Western name order was “insulting” to Japanese tradition. Kumiko Torikai, a retired professor of English education and cross-cultural communication at Rikkyo University, said that the historic adoption of the Western name order was “insulting” to Japanese tradition. “The major trend in the world is to accept a multicultural society,” she said. “It’s normal that various cultures coexist and each should respect other cultures. I think it’s outdated just to copy Western countries.”
“The major trend in the world is to accept a multicultural society,” Ms. Torikai said. “It’s normal that various cultures coexist and each should respect other cultures. I think it’s outdated just to copy Western countries.”
In South Korea, the government issued official guidance before the 2012 London Olympics requesting that transliterations of its athletes’ names be rendered in the traditional cultural style of surname first.In South Korea, the government issued official guidance before the 2012 London Olympics requesting that transliterations of its athletes’ names be rendered in the traditional cultural style of surname first.
“Each Korean and each name of a Korean may seem like a small thing,” the guidance read, “but when they come together, they form the national image of the Republic of Korea.”“Each Korean and each name of a Korean may seem like a small thing,” the guidance read, “but when they come together, they form the national image of the Republic of Korea.”
However, even those who support the idea of respecting cultural naming tradition say it is not practical to reverse entrenched practices.However, even those who support the idea of respecting cultural naming tradition say it is not practical to reverse entrenched practices.
“I do see the point in a way, but I think it’s also a futile exercise and likely to contribute to confusion,” said Koichi Nakano, a political scientist at Sophia University in Tokyo. “It’s naïve for the Japanese government to think that it can get the international media and beyond to switch overnight.”“I do see the point in a way, but I think it’s also a futile exercise and likely to contribute to confusion,” said Koichi Nakano, a political scientist at Sophia University in Tokyo. “It’s naïve for the Japanese government to think that it can get the international media and beyond to switch overnight.”
(The New York Times generally writes Chinese and Korean names with surname first, while using the Western order for Japanese names — although its general policy is to render people’s names the way they prefer.)(The New York Times generally writes Chinese and Korean names with surname first, while using the Western order for Japanese names — although its general policy is to render people’s names the way they prefer.)
Some in the Japanese establishment say that Japan should not necessarily invoke China or South Korea. “I think we opened up rather earlier than them,” said Ichiro Fujisaki, a former Japanese ambassador to the United States, referring to Japan’s opening to the West with the arrival of the American Commodore Matthew Perry in 1853.Some in the Japanese establishment say that Japan should not necessarily invoke China or South Korea. “I think we opened up rather earlier than them,” said Ichiro Fujisaki, a former Japanese ambassador to the United States, referring to Japan’s opening to the West with the arrival of the American Commodore Matthew Perry in 1853.
Reversing the convention now, said Sachiko Ishikawa, who works as a translator in Tokyo, would be “taking a step backward in time.” Ms. Ishikawa, whose mother is German and father is Japanese, said she was concerned that the proposal was motivated more by politics than cultural respect.Reversing the convention now, said Sachiko Ishikawa, who works as a translator in Tokyo, would be “taking a step backward in time.” Ms. Ishikawa, whose mother is German and father is Japanese, said she was concerned that the proposal was motivated more by politics than cultural respect.
“In my opinion, there is an unnerving wave of nationalism growing in Japan — and to be honest, I think this is a small symptom of a much bigger problem,” Ms. Ishikawa said. “The world is shifting toward right-wing ideologies, so it’s obvious that this isn’t so much about how to write about P.M. Abe, but rather a sloppy way to establish their nationalistic sentiments and demands overseas.”“In my opinion, there is an unnerving wave of nationalism growing in Japan — and to be honest, I think this is a small symptom of a much bigger problem,” Ms. Ishikawa said. “The world is shifting toward right-wing ideologies, so it’s obvious that this isn’t so much about how to write about P.M. Abe, but rather a sloppy way to establish their nationalistic sentiments and demands overseas.”
Perhaps a hint of Mr. Abe’s views will emerge during Mr. Trump’s visit. When the American president came to Japan in November 2017, Mr. Abe gave him hats emblazoned with the slogan “Donald and Shinzo make alliance even greater.” If the hats say “Abe” this time, we’ll know.Perhaps a hint of Mr. Abe’s views will emerge during Mr. Trump’s visit. When the American president came to Japan in November 2017, Mr. Abe gave him hats emblazoned with the slogan “Donald and Shinzo make alliance even greater.” If the hats say “Abe” this time, we’ll know.