New rules on the pronunciation of the Kanji to curb the phenomenon
In Japan, parents will no longer have a white card on the names to be given to their children, after the introduction this week of new rules on the pronunciation of the Kanji characters. The Guardian reports that the novelty has been introduced to end the use of ‘Kirakira’ names (bright or sparkling), creating administrative scratches to local authorities and, in some cases, arousing the shift of classmates.
Although the reviews of the family register law do not prohibit the Kanji (characters of Chinese origin used in Japanese writing), parents are required to inform the local authorities of their phonetic reading, in an attempt to eliminate unusual or controversial pronouncements.
The debate on Kirakira names has been underway since the 90s, due to the increase in nicknames based on non -orthodox readings of the Kanji. Many parents have been criticized for having given their children names of famous characters or brands: Pikachu, famous for the Pokémon, Naiki (Nike), Daiya (diamond), Pū (like Winnie-The-Pooh) and Kitty, from the name of the imaginary feline Kitty Chan.
Seiko Hashimoto, a former speed skater and cyclist on the Olympic track, who later led the organizing committee of Tokyo 2020, aroused a sensation – recalls the British average – when he called his children Girisia (Greece) and Turin (Turin), because they were born in the year of the Olympics in those cities.
The parents who have chosen pronouncements that clearly differ from the agreement will be asked to explain in writing the choice of the name and, if necessary, to propose an acceptable alternative.
