Middles names and security accounts

[dango]

Hello everyone,

I am currently trying to set up my iDeCo account and have run into the same issue repeatedly, that being my middle names. I have seen many other people complaining about similar issues.

I created Rakuten Bank, Card and Shouken accounts, with the intention of having everything consolidated with Rakuten and to take advantage of the points system. (I am still considering Monex for iDeCo, but that discussion is for another day)

I have 4 names in total; 1 first and family, then 2 middles names. My zairyuu card contains all 4.
When I created the bank account, all 4 could fit, but for the card account they couldn't, so I left out my middles names.
Then for Shouken, my middle names ended up being combined.

I soon realized my mistake, as all 3 accounts effectively had 3 different names. I have been correcting this so that all accounts are registered with just my first and last name, no middle names. No issues so far with this, just waiting for Shouken to update.

My concern is this: will I run into any issues with receiving my iDeCo/Nisa etc. payments, due to the accounts being registered to "John Smith" instead of the full name "John Mark Richard Smith" as appears on my zairyuu card?

[Haystack]

The issue for most people is

1. Rakuten securities DOES allow you to have a proper First Middle Last format.

2. Many banks do not.

3. Rakuten Card does not.

So you can set them all up, but they may not harmonize from the start. You will need to phone them to fix the issue after the fact.

[zeroshiki]

I'm surprised Shoken and Bank allowed you to not use your full name. They're usually super anal about wanting the name to be the same as the zairyu and mynumber card.

What you should have done is update Rakuten Card with your full name (they'll send you a paper application form). The ideal way to do it is "Smith JohnRichardMark" with only one space between name and surname on both Shoken and Card. Bank actually deals with spaces really well so as long as the name is there it should be fine.

[dango]

I'm surprised Shoken and Bank allowed you to not use your full name. They're usually super anal about wanting the name to be the same as the zairyu and mynumber card.

What you should have done is update Rakuten Card with your full name (they'll send you a paper application form). The ideal way to do it is "Smith JohnRichardMark" with only one space between name and surname on both Shoken and Card. Bank actually deals with spaces really well so as long as the name is there it should be fine.

When I applied for Rakuten Card and couldn't fit my middle names in, I thought that was the end of the discussion. You may be right, putting all 3 together may be best.
So would you suggest putting Smith JohnRichardMark on all accounts so that they match?

My biggest nightmare is to start an iDeCo/Nisa account, invest for the decades until retirement, then not being able to withdraw the money because of a name matching "problem" caused by all of these strict/stupid Japanese documentation rules.

Came across a similar discussion here: viewtopic.php?f=4&t=2133

[zeroshiki]

I'm surprised Shoken and Bank allowed you to not use your full name. They're usually super anal about wanting the name to be the same as the zairyu and mynumber card.

What you should have done is update Rakuten Card with your full name (they'll send you a paper application form). The ideal way to do it is "Smith JohnRichardMark" with only one space between name and surname on both Shoken and Card. Bank actually deals with spaces really well so as long as the name is there it should be fine.

When I applied for Rakuten Card and couldn't fit my middle names in, I thought that was the end of the discussion. You may be right, putting all 3 together may be best.
So would you suggest putting Smith JohnRichardMark on all accounts so that they match?

My biggest nightmare is to start an iDeCo/Nisa account, invest for the decades until retirement, then not being able to withdraw the money because of a name matching "problem" caused by all of these strict/stupid Japanese documentation rules.

Came across a similar discussion here: viewtopic.php?f=4&t=2133

Yes, I recommend putting the name without spaces on Rakuten Card and Securities. Your name will match, it just won't have the spaces and that hasn't been a problem for me. The main problem is Rakuten Card. It can only do 1 space in your full name (which defaults to the space between your first and last name). Any deviation and it refuses to connect.

Connecting it to Rakuten Bank ensures you have somewhere to pull the money to anyways.

[imaginatorium]

One other possible answer to these problems is to register an alias (別名 I think, but no documentation to hand). I went to the city office, and I think merely had to show that I was already using チャンドラー　ブライアン, i.e. my name without middle name in katakana, with something like an electricity bill. My MyNumber notification for example has both forms (with the usual Roman one with my middle name at the end), and I have been able to use this form for hospitals etc, even if it still gets chopped off somewhere. Sorry to be so vague about details, and YMMV (I'm in Sano, Tochigi), but it might be worth trying.

Long ago, things were very different; only kana ever got on things like house deeds (including the middle name). Although banks and the like would niggle about tiny differences within the same form (Roman, kana), they happily mapped an incoming Roman name to a katakana version. I always wondered what it would be like to have a Welsh name like Huw Gwilym... There was also a period when driving licences had a (hankaku) kana version of your name, without " or ° (so バンドウ came out as ハントウ), and this simply skipped bits that were not possible romanisations of Japanese, so I came out as ハエ リアン. Never actually had to say that, though.

[dango]

One other possible answer to these problems is to register an alias (別名 I think, but no documentation to hand). I went to the city office, and I think merely had to show that I was already using チャンドラー　ブライアン, i.e. my name without middle name in katakana, with something like an electricity bill. My MyNumber notification for example has both forms (with the usual Roman one with my middle name at the end), and I have been able to use this form for hospitals etc, even if it still gets chopped off somewhere. Sorry to be so vague about details, and YMMV (I'm in Sano, Tochigi), but it might be worth trying.

Long ago, things were very different; only kana ever got on things like house deeds (including the middle name). Although banks and the like would niggle about tiny differences within the same form (Roman, kana), they happily mapped an incoming Roman name to a katakana version. I always wondered what it would be like to have a Welsh name like Huw Gwilym... There was also a period when driving licences had a (hankaku) kana version of your name, without " or ° (so バンドウ came out as ハントウ), and this simply skipped bits that were not possible romanisations of Japanese, so I came out as ハエ リアン. Never actually had to say that, though.

I went to my local city office branch last month to ask about this. I explained my situation and I was flat out told no, I can not apply for an alias. Apparently the rules for being allowed one were made stricter a few years ago.

I found it very weird, as looking at the official government website online, it would seem like I should be allowed. My wife (Japanese) even called the main city office for me to ask about it, and they said that it should be fine. I would like to go back with her and ask again, if we can make the time to do so.

My application to have my name changed on my Rakuten Bank account was denied this morning. They wouldn't let me combine my forename and middle names without spaces. So I am still stuck with everything being mismatched.

This is getting incredibly aggravating. I have been trying to set up an iDeCo account for nearly a year now......

[RetireJapan]

I went to my local city office branch last month to ask about this. I explained my situation and I was flat out told no, I can not apply for an alias. Apparently the rules for being allowed one were made stricter a few years ago.

I found it very weird, as looking at the official government website online, it would seem like I should be allowed. My wife (Japanese) even called the main city office for me to ask about it, and they said that it should be fine. I would like to go back with her and ask again, if we can make the time to do so.

My application to have my name changed on my Rakuten Bank account was denied this morning. They wouldn't let me combine my forename and middle names without spaces. So I am still stuck with everything being mismatched.

This is getting incredibly aggravating. I have been trying to set up an iDeCo account for nearly a year now......

Sorry to hear you are having trouble.

Very possible the person you spoke to was misinformed. Recommend making a note of name/date every time you speak to a public servant about something important.

Definitely go back with your wife and ask to speak to a supervisor if you don't receive a satisfactory explanation.

Good luck!

[buckbunny]

I'm in the same situation. Same name format.

I can't link my Rakuten Card to my Rakuten Securities account because the latter has my correct full name according to all my ID documents and the former has my correct name-without-middle-names according to the industry rules for names on credit cards. Meh.

Rakuten Bank flat out rejected my account opening application because my name didn't "match" my ID. It did. Meh.

The way they're giving less points now makes it less attractive. I hope SoftBank, Seven or Sony come up with a financial loyalty program that has a better UX.

[dango]

Good news! I went to the city office again and manage to register my alias this time! Didn't even need my wife, just needed to be served by someone who knew what they were doing

Now I need to change the name of all of my accounts to match, as the alias is in katakana (you can't use English letters). Bit of a hassle, but once it is done I should be good to go.