Taro Kono – or is it Kono Taro? – says journalists should treat Japanese politicians the same as their Chinese or South Korean equivalents

Japan’s foreign minister will ask international media organisations to use the family name first when writing Japanese names – as is customary in the Japanese language – in an attempt to reverse a century of linguistic convention.

Taro Kono – or perhaps that should be Kono Taro – said foreign media should follow the same practice they use when reporting on other Asian countries where the family name traditionally comes first, followed by their given name. As an example, he said Japan’s prime minister, Shinzo Abe, should in future be written as Abe Shinzo.

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