Japan Has Its Own Roman Alphabet System

While many people use Hepburn romanization for Japanese, the official government standard is actually Kunrei-shiki. This system is taught in schools and is the internationally recognized ISO standard.

You might be surprised to learn that the way Japanese words are spelled in Latin characters can vary depending on official standards. Kunrei-shiki, or the MEXT system, simplifies the connection between Japanese syllables and their written counterparts. Because it follows the internal logic of the Japanese language more closely than other methods, it remains the standard for domestic education. International organizations like the ISO endorse this version for its consistency in linguistic mapping.