Foreign Minister Taro Kono to ask media to switch order of Japanese names

Re:Foreign Minister Taro Kono to ask media to switch order o... by mimixco on Tuesday May 21, 2019 @01:58PM (#19972791)

So does this mean the Minister's name is Tara KONO or Kono TARA? I can't tell from this article. I totally understand people wanting to have their names written correctly, but if the reader is confused, is that going to help people to understand one's name correctly? In the US, I don't think it would.

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Re:Foreign Minister Taro Kono to ask media to switch order o... by readyp1 on Tuesday May 21, 2019 @02:31PM (#19973245)

Represented as the Minister proposes, it would be KONO Tarо̄. This relies on a bit of cultural knowledge; 太郎 (Tarо̄) is a very common first name for males in Japan.

The article is a smidge ironic, though; in this article about proposing a Last First standard, the Times refers to the promulgator via First Last. I suppose they're technically in keeping with current standards by using First Last, since the Minister's proposal is brand new.

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Re:Foreign Minister Taro Kono to ask media to switch order o... by toyg on Tuesday May 21, 2019 @08:41PM (#19976652)

> The article is a smidge ironic, though

It is reporting an intention from a minister. When and if the minister actually acts on it, by extending an official request from the Japanese Government, I guess they will respond officially in some way. There is no need to drop one's pants just because a minister opened his mouth.

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