Passport Question: 2 Passport With Different Last Names

[SlickWilly440]

Hello, I have a....um... "friend" who has a passport question. Let say hypothetically he/she already has a U.S. passport which shows a fully American name and he/she plans to get a Japanese passport with the option of using the last name as same as the U.S. passport or using a maiden last name.

If he/she were to get a Japanese passport using the maiden name, would there be any problems such as showing the Japanese passport along with one's plane ticket (if the ticket was bought using the U.S. passport name) and vica versa. Well the whole point of him/her having 2 passports would be to leave the U.S. showing the U.S. Passport, entering Japan, showing the Japanese Passport, and vica versa when returning home.

My "friend" has already looked around the internet and found an answer saying, "Show both passports in Japan," but that defeats the whole purpose of owning 2 passports, and he/she would like a second opinion on the subject.

Sure, my "friend" could get a Japanese Passport, using the same name as the U.S. one, but wouldn't their be some drawbacks that are non-related to flying on a plane?

My "friend" wants to thank you in advance for reading and responding to his/her question.

[stsparky]

Use the Japanese passport in Japan, and the US passport in the USA.

I've friends who do that.

[SlickWilly440]

^
And are their last names on the two passports different?

[stsparky]

^
And are their last names on the two passports different?
One - yes
The other - no.

[SlickWilly440]

Thanks for the response, my "friend" will appreciate it.

[atomiton]

When you fly use the passport that matches the ticket. That is all.

[stsparky]

On the ground - they don't look at your ticket.

[Riinuka]

Use the Japanese one with the maiden name Japan-side, I'd say, especially if this friend's Japanese heritage comes from the maternal side, as I'm assuming is the case. Much easier to keep things all clean that side of the water.

[Digital Masta]

Why should it matter what your name is as long as your passport is a Japanese passport? I'm sure they are used to people who have foreign names but Japanese passports as would be the likely case with a foreign father and Japanese mother.

[Riinuka]

Might look better in cases where he is asked to show it for some reason. Impressions are important..

[japanat]

Why should it matter what your name is as long as your passport is a Japanese passport? I'm sure they are used to people who have foreign names but Japanese passports as would be the likely case with a foreign father and Japanese mother.My kids, for example. They have English spelling on their Japanese passports instead of Romaji, which we had to specially apply for (kanji names go on passports in romaji, unless the child has another country's passport with different spelling when they apply).

OP: I don't understand how your friend can apply for their Japanese passport in their maiden name... What is their legal name? Is it the maiden name or the married one? Oh, and legally, they are supposed to use the US passport to enter and leave the US, and the Japanese one to enter and leave Japan.

[MNJetter]

I was under the impression that women with a Japanese maiden name have the option of using it if they marry a foreigner. I don't know if that extends as far as passports, but I have a coworker and a friend, both with American husbands, and they use their maiden Japanese names while here in Japan to avoid confusion and having their name and Japanese-ness be the subject of every conversation.

[SlickWilly440]

OP: I don't understand how your friend can apply for their Japanese passport in their maiden name... What is their legal name? Is it the maiden name or the married one?

I asked my friend for more information and this is what a heard.

Turns out my friend is the son/daughter of a Japanese mother and an American father, and he/she found out information (not 100 percent sure if correct or not) that he/she could get the Japanese passport either using his/her mother's Japanese last name or his/her father's last name (which is currently one his/her U.S. Passport). The son/daughter and father's names are on the mother's koseki touhon/shouhon.

Sorry for the confusion.

[Digital Masta]

whats with the he she stuff anyway japant would have the most experience regarding this so if he says it shouldn't matter then tell your friend that and if it does then tell your friend.

[japanat]

Basically, if your friend wants a Japanese name in Japan, wants to appear Japanese, they should definitely get the passport in their mother's maiden name. They should check the family register carefully, however. If the mother's name is still Japanese on the registry (and it usually takes a fair amount of work to get it changed into the foreign father's name - they asked my wife 4 different times if she really wanted to change her name - and more conservative areas like Himeji often won't do it at all), the child's name would be automatically issued in her name. To get it issued in the father's last name would require presentation of the US passport and a fair amount of paperwork - they'd be legally changing their name.

And the he/she stuff is really distracting. Use the neutral 'they' if you don't want to indicate gender, wouldn't you? It's not like any of us would have any idea whom you're talking about anyways.

[SlickWilly440]

Sorry for the "he/she" distraction.

Thank you, japanat, and everyone else who read and contributed to the question in the OP. My friend will greatly appreciate all your help.

[stsparky]

Daughter has both. Japanese one has the wife's maiden name.