Mindless Bureaucracy

[Yokohammer]

Had to share this one. I'm sure others have stories as well so I'll leave the title sort of general to accommodate ...

I had filled out a form for a public sector organization, and since my name was written in katakana, I had left the furigana field blank. In fact, I filled the form out in the presence of one of the staffers at said organization, and we both agreed that furigana on katakana would be useless.

So then, sure as shoot, the form was mailed back to me a week later with a request to fill in the furigana field.

Now, just for the sake of clarification, suppose that my name was written as "ヨコハマー". They've gone to all the trouble of writing a cover letter and paying postage, with a return envelope included, to ask me to write "ヨコハマー” in the furigana field above "ヨコハマー" and mail it back to them.

For those who are confused, the whole point of furigana, which is usually katakana, is to indicate how names, usually written in kanji that might have more than one reading/pronunciation, should be read. Thus the need for phonetic katakana "furigana" above the sometimes confusing kanji.

In short, it's the same as asking me to write "Yokohammer" in a separate field so they know how to pronounce "Yokohammer."

Petty, mindless bureaucracy at its finest.

Looking forward to other stories.

[Russell]

Had to share this one. I'm sure others have stories as well so I'll leave the title sort of general to accommodate ...

I had filled out a form for a public sector organization, and since my name was written in katakana, I had left the furigana field blank. In fact, I filled the form out in the presence of one of the staffers at said organization, and we both agreed that furigana on katakana would be useless.

So then, sure as shoot, the form was mailed back to me a week letter with a request to fill in the furigana field.

Now, just for the sake of clarification, suppose that my name was written as "ヨコハマー". They've gone to all the trouble of writing a cover letter and paying postage, with a return envelope included, to ask me to write "ヨコハマー” in the furigana field above "ヨコハマー" and mail it back to them.

For those who are confused, the whole point of furigana, which is usually katakana, is to indicate how names, usually written in kanji that might have more than one reading/pronunciation, should be read. Thus the need for phonetic katakana "furigana" above the sometimes confusing kanji.

In short, it's the same as asking me to write "Yokohammer" in a separate field so they know how to pronounce "Yokohammer."

Petty, mindless bureaucracy at its finest.

Looking forward to other stories.

How was "furigana" written? Like ふりがな or フリガナ? Depending on whether it was in hiragana they might have wanted you to write よこはまー. Yep, still doesn't make sense to send this letter to you with their request, but you should not forget the robotic nature of some of the people here. And sometimes it is necessary for legal reasons that a person himself writes his name, unlike in the past where a friendly clerk would do it for you.

I've encountered these type of things too many times in Japan that it does not surprise me anymore. I guess it is kind of safe for them to behave like Mr. Spock.

[Coligny]

If only they could be as rigorous when running nukular powerplants.

Instead we got this bad remake of Brasil...

[Yokohammer]

How was "furigana" written? Like ふりがな or フリガナ? Depending on whether it was in hiragana they might have wanted you to write よこはまー. ...

It's "フリガナ" on the form, so technically it should be katakana.

To think that tax-funded organizations waste so much time on this type of meaningless clusterfuckery is disturbing.

[Samurai_Jerk]

I always leave the furigana line blank. No problems so far but I expect them to say something every time.

[Mike Oxlong]

And I'm the opposite. Always fill it in. Been asked one too many times for it, and just figure it's a time-saver in the long run.

[Yokohammer]

If I had been on my own I might have filled it in, knowing that this sort of thing can happen, but since one of the office mado-guchi lackeys said it wasn't necessary, which agreed with my own perception, I didn't bother.

Of course my assumption that any sort of sanity would prevail in that or any other branch of the public sector was sorely mistaken.

[Mike Oxlong]

I've watched those slack-jawed lackeys "instruct" a girlfriend on the correct way to write the kanji for her own name, and bring out some thick manual or another in the lesson. Said girlfriend had travelled all over the world on her own dime, and had a masters degree. Sure, from a Japanese university, but still.

[Takechanpoo]

it was just invalid as an official document.

for example, among japanese natives there are ppl having written-by-only-hiragana or katakana first name.
also in case of them, if they dont fill the furigana space above their first name, the document will be regarded as invalid too.
and bureaucrats just move to action by the rules. thats how it is with them.

[Yokohammer]

it was just invalid as an official document.

for example, among japanese natives there are ppl having written-by-only-hiragana or katakana first name.
also in case of them, if they dont fill the furigana space above their first name, the document will be regarded as invalid too.
and bureaucrats just move to action by the rules. thats how it is with them.

Yes, like "ハル" or "トキ”婆さん ... I was wondering about that. I guess that's their criterion: if トキ婆さん has to fill in the フリガナ欄, then so does ヨコハマー。

Best explanation so far.