ローマ字「姓－名」表記へ＝国の公文書で方針－政府

　政府は６日、国が作成する公文書で用いる日本人名のローマ字表記について、欧米式の「名－姓」ではなく、原則的に「姓－名」の順にする方針を決めた。柴山昌彦文部科学相が同日の閣僚懇談会で各閣僚に要請し、同意された。今後、内閣官房を中心に関係省庁で具体策を検討する。
　柴山文科相は閣議後の記者会見で、「グローバル社会が進んでいくに従い、言語、文化の多様性を人類全体が互いに意識することがますます重要になっている」と強調。「姓－名という日本の伝統に則した表記としていくことに意義がある」と述べた。（2019/09/06-13:24）

The Japanese government on Friday decided to put the family name first when writing Japanese names in Roman alphabet in official documents, breaking from the Western practice of putting the given name first.
   Cabinet members agreed to the change, proposed by education and culture minister Masahiko Shibayama, at a meeting the same day. The Cabinet Secretariat will work with other government agencies to draw up detailed plans for the shift.
   "It is becoming increasingly important for humanity to recognize diverse languages and cultures as globalization progresses," Shibayama told a press conference after the meeting. "There is significance in writing the family name first in line with Japanese tradition."
   A report drawn up in 2000 by a then national language council of the Cultural Affairs Agency said that putting the family name first was desirable.
   In May this year, Shibayama and Foreign Minister Taro Kono proposed the change. But cabinet members were divided on the issue at the time.