Al wrote:

> Hi Ken, you could try adopting a Japanese name.
>
> I am exclusively using the Japanese name i picked out for myself 5 years
> ago, and it is written on my alien card, my bank books, and my tax
> returns, in the contracts regarding my work and the house i am renting,
> and on my health insurance card. It can also be found in the teikan of
> my company.
>
> Specifically about banks: i've had a bank account with one bank for 5
> years and very recently opened an account with a different bank (since
> one of the universities where i work occasionally asked me to provide an
> account number at the latter bank), and i gave them, of course, the name
> i always use now.
>
> Oh, and i don't sign anything - i use a hanko.
>
> Japan works in various ways, and i tend to look for the ways that work
> best for me. ;-)
>
> ... call me Al...

How did you get them to use the name you wanted on official documents?
I hate the way local officials, as if they were in on it together,
insist on rendering my three names in all caps, last name first with no
comma, as if it were some twisted Japanese romaji name, or in katakana
also last name first. Also, they claim that as I am a foreigner, I
cannot use kanji, but they see no problem using kanji for my last name
in my wife and children's names.