"Ken Yasumoto-Nicolson" <ken_nicolson@hotmail.com> wrote:

> I went to the bank a couple of weeks back as I had to change address,
> and the person behind the counter said that according to new
> regulations, gaigins are only allowed to have their full passport name
> (romaji or kana, I didn't ask) as the name in the bank account. As my
> passport name is Nicolson Kenneth Middlename, but my company name is
> Ｋ (doublewidth) ニコルソン (entered back-to-front in the office
> computer system, with a reading of ケイ for my first (or is it my
> last?) name)) and the company software is unable to cope with more than
> 8 kana per each of two names and it is impossible, apparently, for them
> to pay my salary into an account with a different name (they tried
> before!), I muttered something about I'd look into it and exited
> hastely.

If the company's software really is that crappy, try taking your company 
ID, old payslips and suchlike to the bank with your passport/gaijin 
card. The bank staff will just have to sort it out. If they don't, take 
your money elsewhere. The passport name is presumably a legal 
requirement to prevent fraud, but they'll bend the rules when they want 
to. 
 
> Anyone else hear any more about this? Been forced to close an account?

Not for name problems, but I've closed several accounts because they 
gave me crap about signatures.

-- 
J.T. Fallhammer

Ghadir Esmaeili is innocent
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/print/news/nn07-2004/nn20040707f3.htm
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/print/news/nn05-2005/nn20050517a5.htm