[Regarding official notification from the director of the Basic Resident Registration System for Foreign Residents Office in the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications’ Local Administration Bureau based on the Abe administration tightening the system for changing assumed names:]
“If a Japanese person wants to change their name, they need authorization from a family court. However, foreigners do not. They can change their assumed name as long as they register this name. This is indeed peculiar. This official notification from the ministry will make it harder for foreigners to change the names they go by. This is a natural step to take.”