Do you use fake name for things that doesn’t require ID?

27 comments

1. Please check out the medical resources on the [wiki!](https://www.reddit.com/r/japanlife/wiki/medical)

   *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/japanlife) if you have any questions or concerns.*

2. Sounds super paranoid

3. I mean, you can probably be denied service if they find out, since I imagine all of them have something in the fine print about identifying yourself.

4. The risk is that you really enjoy the service and for the next 20 years, your barber is calling you Anita. Anita Drinkawata.

5. No, I don’t use fake names

6. I used to screw around when entering certain office buildings many years ago. They just had us sign in, no ID or even the “meishi” check that some buildings do. I used visit clients in the Sanno Park Tower and would put Solo, Han or Skywalker, Luke, etc. One time my Japanese colleague saw me writing “Hurtz, Dick” and gave me a puzzled look. I replied with a conspiratorial nod and he didn’t bring it up until were nommunicating a few hours later and laughed his 🥜 off when he got it. But I’ve never done to to a barber or place like that.

7. Is this just a bad punchline or are those the names you go by. So instead of using something practical and easy-to-read, you use a bunch of gag names that, in the moment, will presumably only be understood by you? But you’re scared you’ll get in trouble?

   I mean, I get wanting to use a simpler name – I usually put down my middle name at restaurants, but that’s because it’s easier and quicker for me to write, and easier and quicker to read.

8. Didn’t really see any point using fake name, especially here in Japan.
   Because nobody cares about other people anyway.

   But it’s definitely more convenient for people to just call me by my name for sure.

9. Seems like a waste of time. Do you use the same fake name everywhere or do you choose a different one for a different place?

10. What, like Mike Hunt, or Ivor Biggon?

11. I do for restaurant reservation, because I don’t want to repeat my name 10 times.

12. Nope

13. I use random Japanese names like Hayashi or Saito when signing up to wait at a restaurant. The reactions always crack me up when they call for “Saito-sama” and it’s a blonde white dude.

14. Not fake name, but I often use a fake address so I won’t get trash mail. It’s always the same fake address, in case they ask what’s my address to confirm the info when I need to redeem points or something.

    And I use fake names when I go on dates with people I don’t know IRL (i.e. online dates). Had someone stalk me once and learned my lesson.

15. Sounds dumb, but that’s just my opinion, you do you

    Edit: grammar because phone wanted to say sound

16. Sure don’t want everybody knowing everything

17. Try ヘガデル next time.

18. Yeah, the first two days when I arrived to Japan was extremly difficult to say my name in a way japanese people understand properly, then from the third day I am using “Tony” トニー for everything, except of course when I need to show my ID in the hospital, town hall, at work… for everything else I am Tony.

19. I’ve been doing it whenever possible for more than 40 years in every country I have been in. I want to know to which company to complain if I get junk mail.

20. I use my Japanese name, since I’m Chinese that is technically correct as it’s just kanji pronounced in Japanese. I also get away with it because well we all look Asian

21. No because I find it harder to remember which lie I told whom

22. Sometimes online shops require kanji names so I translated my surname into Japanese and found the adequate kanji. And for my first name my host family came up with some kanji for me 🙂 so kind of fake but also not

23. Use fake name for my icoca, when I fly peach and other things. Mostly just because it’s fun for me. Flew as Mac Gyver once. Don’t know why but in a boring world, it’s the small things that counts.

24. For anything non-office, I’ll use just my first initial on occasion. Gym required my actual info to match bank account, etc.

25. スズキ

26. Yes, but only because I had an incident a few years ago. I have a fairly distinctive name and I wrote it on the waiting list for Hoshino Coffee. That night, some creepy jiji found me and added me on Facebook. I always write “スミス” now.

27. So I’ll tell you a secret that not many western foreigners seem to know, but Chinese, etc. Use all the time.

    There is one right that foreigners in Japan have that Japanese citizens don’t have.

    You can register a second legal name on your juminhyo.

    The idea is, if your name is super long and hard to pronounce for Japanese, you can also register a Japanese name. For example, if your name is “tamawagla bimaphizupontayaku” or something, you can register a name like “yamada taro” if you like. This will show up on your juminhyo, my number card, drivers license, etc., So then you can use this name to open bank accounts, etc , as well.

    The only thing you need to take to City Hall is some kind of proof that you are actually using this name, so it could be business cards, bills, etc. One girl I know (Chinese) did this just based on business cards, but it’s handled on a case by case basis, so if they reject you, you can just try again with a different person/location. (Or just ask them what kind of documentation they would like). Westerners don’t often use this, as it’s mainly intended originally for zainichi Koreans to avoid racism, but legally speaking, you can.

    Note, this is called tsuushimei

    Sadly, I can’t do this… Sigh.

    This nmght not help with privacy, but for email I use simplelogin.io to have separate emails for every place I deal with, and you can get a second SIM card for like $5 pretty month or use an VOIP number like those from OCN mobile one. I don’t mind people knowing my address.