Curt Fischer wrote:

> 1. "All foreigners are not allowed to use kanji" is different from "Eric
> Takabayashi is not allowed to use kanji".  Who knows what laws, other
> than their own whim, Japanese officials follow on a day-to-day basis?

As in other threads on other issues, I am not only speaking for myself,
as "my" situation seems to be quite common in various areas of Japan,
for thousands in my city alone if what the officials claim about
foreigners is true, in precisely the same context as I have described -
as if all government officials and bank officers who have ever told me
about it were "in on it together" not to allow foreigners to use kanji.
kuri's post is only more confirmation of what I have heard.

"Al" however, sees fit to declare it is not so, because it is not so
for him, being polite and older and all. He also alludes to work coming
from universities.

> 2. You guys seem to be talking about different contexts anyway.

Nope. He has "a hard time believing" what I describe happening to ME
with the common kanji name I was BORN with is true (Ken's original post
is also quite explicit about the claims of people at his bank about
their regulations), apparently also doubting anyone else in this thread
or many other posts like it when it has come up. When I, legally the
only foreigner in my family in Japan, am the only one not allowed to
use hiragana or kanji for my "authentic" Japanese names, that means
something. (BTW, my children are not allowed to use their middle names,
Japanese or western, on ANY Japanese documents. Their names are ALWAYS
written in ALL kanji on official documents, in Japanese order. Why?
Because they are Japanese, duh.)

I can't wait to hear what he has to say about kuri's latest post. Maybe
he will imply that foreigners in Osaka aren't mature looking or polite
enough like he is, either. I'm surprised he didn't mention other things
such as what must be a high level of proficiency in Japanese or go into
more detail about his career, which would merit so much respect from
the Japanese officials and others who meet him.

> Sounds like he better give Debito a call.

Fujimori can go hang at home for what he's done, and I hope the rumors
I've read here recently about Debito are true.