Overview

• The law, effective May 26, restricts parents to using only standard or widely accepted readings for kanji in children’s names.
• All Japanese residents will receive official mail to confirm phonetic readings in their family registry, with a year-long window to submit corrections.
• Local authorities can reject or demand explanations for non-standard name readings, with ambiguous cases referred to legal affairs bureaus.
• Prohibited pronunciations include unconventional names like Pikachu, Naiki (Nike), Kitty and Pudding, while about 3,000 kanji remain available under traditional readings.
• The crackdown aims to reduce confusion in schools, hospitals and digital records and reflects a broader shift toward individualistic naming practices seen in several countries.