Japanese wife's surname after marriage

[pfdsa]

Me and my girlfriend are getting married soon and she would like to change her surname and use mine (just one of the surnames, since my surname has 3 words and 2 spaces). Of course I was happy when hearing that, but made me think if she wouldn't have any kind of problems in the future (official forms, bank loans, etc).
Anything that I should be aware of?
For you guys with a Japanese wife, did she started using your surname and had any kind of trouble so far?

Maybe I'm just being paranoic due to all the name related problems I had when opening my Rakuten accounts
The surname has 5 characters when written in katakana, so at least she shouldn’t have any kind of problem when using those online forms (googled it up and there are two official japanese names made of 5 characters).

[beanhead]

My wife changed to my katakana name. No issues.
The name problems with Japanese institutions generally come from middle names and sometimes name order. Japanese folks taking a non-Japanese surname will not usually have these, so less complicated.
Unless of course your wife insists on a hyphen, a sort of Watanabe-Jones combo. I would advise against this

[Established]

Me and my girlfriend are getting married soon and she would like to change her surname and use mine (just one of the surnames, since my surname has 3 words and 2 spaces). Of course I was happy when hearing that, but made me think if she wouldn't have any kind of problems in the future (official forms, bank loans, etc).
Anything that I should be aware of?
For you guys with a Japanese wife, did she started using your surname and had any kind of trouble so far?

Maybe I'm just being paranoic due to all the name related problems I had when opening my Rakuten accounts
The surname has 5 characters when written in katakana, so at least she shouldn’t have any kind of problem when using those online forms (googled it up and there are two official japanese names made of 5 characters).

Are you planning to continue living in Japan? Will you have kids here? These questions really matter.

One thing is certain, life will be more difficult for a half-kid with a foreign last name vs a Japanese one.

Changing your name comes with a heck of a lot of paperwork for your wife, along with the cost of issuing new i.d. She will also face a lifetime of people assuming she is half/foreign (on paper) and all the issues that may arise from that going ahead.

My question is, what are the PROs or her taking your name?

[adamu]

Another alternative is that you could invent a new Japanese-sounding name to share between the two of you, if you taking her family name would feel like the wrong direction.

Sorry I know that's not what your question was about, just pointing it out as an option if you're worried by the concerns Established mentioned.

[pfdsa]

My wife changed to my katakana name. No issues.
The name problems with Japanese institutions generally come from middle names and sometimes name order. Japanese folks taking a non-Japanese surname will not usually have these, so less complicated.
Unless of course your wife insists on a hyphen, a sort of Watanabe-Jones combo. I would advise against this

That's great to hear. So your wife's name now is registered in Katakana+Kanji everywhere (except the passport I guess)?
I'm asking this because in my zairyuu card the name is obviously written in alphabet, but the national insurance card is written in katakana, so was wondering what happens with the Japanese folks that take a foreign surname.
Also, did your wife ever were mistaken for a half/foreign?

After seeing my pain due to my long name, I'm pretty sure she will stay away from hyphens and that sort of stuff

Are you planning to continue living in Japan? Will you have kids here? These questions really matter.

One thing is certain, life will be more difficult for a half-kid with a foreign last name vs a Japanese one.

Changing your name comes with a heck of a lot of paperwork for your wife, along with the cost of issuing new i.d. She will also face a lifetime of people assuming she is half/foreign (on paper) and all the issues that may arise from that going ahead.

My question is, what are the PROs or her taking your name?

Thanks for the comment.
I do plan to continue living here and have kids here too, but so far life never goes as planned

I made sure that she was aware of all those problems you mentioned, but she still wants to do it, so who am I to say otherwise. All I'm doing is trying to find out if if i'm missing anything crucial, as well as hear someone else's experiences.

Regarding the PROs...personal satisfaction? She simply would like to do it.

Another alternative is that you could invent a new Japanese-sounding name to share between the two of you, if you taking her family name would feel like the wrong direction.

Sorry I know that's not what your question was about, just pointing it out as an option if you're worried by the concerns Established mentioned.

That would be a good option.
However, at least in my home country everyone gets two family names (one from the mother and one from the father), so changing my surname wouldn't feel correct.
I'm pretty sure the easiest way would be to both of us keeping both our surnames, but oh well

[Established]

My question is, what are the PROs or her taking your name?

Regarding the PROs...personal satisfaction? She simply would like to do it.

I understand the feeling. Most Japanese people do not know that those who marry foreigners have a choice in adopting their last name. Thus, if your wife has a Japanese last name and a foreign husband, they may assume you are not married.

This does not bother me at all but has annoyed my wife once or twice.

[captainspoke]

My wife had a few publications under her name before we got married (uni teacher), and opted not to take my name to preserve continuity there. I think she also liked that she didn't have to take my name, which would have been the case if she'd've married a japanese. Back then ('88), that represented a kind of freedom/liberation.

That meant that the kids got her name at birth. For each one we later went to the family court and petitioned to have their family names changed to mine, and one effect of that was that each one got a new koseki.

[Established]

My wife had a few publications under her name before we got married (uni teacher), and opted not to take my name to preserve continuity there. I think she also liked that she didn't have to take my name, which would have been the case if she'd've married a japanese. Back then ('88), that represented a kind of freedom/liberation.

That meant that the kids got her name at birth. For each one we later went to the family court and petitioned to have their family names changed to mine, and one effect of that was that each one got a new koseki.

Not to hijack this post but...

Why did you change their names in Japan? Surely the Japanese last name is an advantage here.

I may get my son`s name changed in Canada to match my family name, but I plan to keep his last name Japanese.

[Moneymatters]

For you guys with a Japanese wife, did she started using your surname and had any kind of trouble so far?

I assume you mean trouble in relation to the name change. Not just general trouble.
Otherwise there simply isn't enough space on the internet.

My wife, without being asked, took my 7 character last name and it's never once caused her a problem.
About 15 years later I still noticed things like credit cards were in her old name but I think those are changed now.

Now even 20+ years later;
Her mobile phone statement is still in her maiden name. (too difficult to change).
Her "Line" account is in her maiden name. (So old school friends would know it's her)
Her name card for her part time job is in her maiden name!(as not to confuse customers)

Admittedly, on occasion we've all used her maiden name when making reservations on the phone or signing on the board at a family restaurant

Our kids at HS and Uni have never had a problem having a katakana last name. Now they can change it or pick up an alias as adults.
Admittedly, we live in Tokyo so I can't speak for people's experience in more provincial settings.

Annecdotally. My daughter typically asks people to use a version of her first name (also a "foreign" name) to save people a headache of using the last name.

Sports coaches have invariably asked my son's permission to use his first name (which is also a foreign name) as it's more "shoutable" than his last name. And if you spend 10 mins trying to coach him anything you'd realise how important having a shoutable name is in his case!

[Butterball]

My wife had a few publications under her name before we got married (uni teacher), and opted not to take my name to preserve continuity there. I think she also liked that she didn't have to take my name, which would have been the case if she'd've married a japanese. Back then ('88), that represented a kind of freedom/liberation.

That meant that the kids got her name at birth. For each one we later went to the family court and petitioned to have their family names changed to mine, and one effect of that was that each one got a new koseki.

Not to hijack this post but...

Why did you change their names in Japan? Surely the Japanese last name is an advantage here.

I may get my son`s name changed in Canada to match my family name, but I plan to keep his last name Japanese.

Just FYI, if I understand correctly, you’re talking about your son having different official names in Canada and Japan. I don’t think you can do this any more (you could until about 12-15 years ago).