Cabinet Order (Kunrei) No.1

We establish the system for the romanization of Japanese as follows.

December 9, 1954

The Prime Minister Sigeru Yosida

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Romanization of Japanese

Instructions

1. In order to transcribe the Japanese into Roman characters, you must follow Table One.
2. But if international relations or the conventional or such exist and unable to follow Table One, then Table Two may be in order.
3. In any cases, the notes below must generally be applied.

Table One [ shown in ( ) appear several times ]

a	i	u	e	o
ka	ki	ku	ke	ko	kya	kyu	kyo
sa	si	su	se	so	sya	syu	syo
ta	ti	tu	te	to	tya	tyu	tyo
na	ni	nu	ne	no	nya	nyu	nyo
ha	hi	hu	he	ho	hya	hyu	hyo
ma	mi	mu	me	mo	mya	myu	myo
ya	(i)	yu	(e)	yo
ra	ri	ru	re	ro	rya	ryu	ryo
wa	(i)	(u)	(e)	(o)
ga	gi	gu	ge	go	gya	gyu	gyo
za	zi	zu	ze	zo	zya	zyu	zyo
da	(zi)	(zu)	de	do	(zya)	(zyu)	(zyo)
ba	bi	bu	be	bo	bya	byu	byo
pa	pi	pu	pe	po	pya	pyu	pyo

Table Two

sha	shi	shu	sho
		tsu
cha	chi	chu	cho
		fu
ja	ji	ju	jo
di		du
dya		dyu	dyo
kwa
gwa
			wo

Notes

Also as follows:

1. The syllabic nasal (n, ng, m) must always be transcribed as "n".
   Example: konnitiwa / ongaku / sinbun / bunpô / kanmon
2. When vowels or consonant y follow the syllabic nasal, add apostrophe (') after "n".
   Example: ren'ai / gen'in / sin'en / kon'ya
3. Geminate consonants are marked by doubling the consonant.
   Example: gakkô / nessin / itti / ippon
4. Long vowels are indicated by circumflex (^) above vowel letters.
   Example: ôkii / tîsai / nêsan / sûgaku / âto
5. In case of capital-letter, long vowels may be indicated by doubling short vowels.
   Example: OOSAKA / TOOKYOO / ONEESAN
6. There is no order for foreign sounds to transcribe.
   Example: hwirumu, firumu, film
7. The first letter in a sentence, and all proper nouns, must be capitalized.
   Example: Nihongo wa yasasii rasii. / Sinkansen de Ôsaka e itta.
8. Also, first letter of the common nouns may be capitalized.
   Example: Doitugo wa Koyû Meisi ni kagirazu Ômozi o tukau.

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Cabinet Order No.1

for authorities concerned

Implementation guidance of Romanizing Japanese

We standardized the romanization of Japanese through Cabinet Order No.3 as of September 21, 1937 and put it into force, but later, several systems of the romanization have again emerged and been simultaneously practiced, which have sufferd us much complication in the official, academic and general records and communications. We believe that the standardization contributes to efficient businesses, effective educations, and advanced studies. That is the reason the Cabinet, today, has just announced the system of romanization as Cabinet Order No.1 based on the recommendation of the Japanese Language Council. We request all authorities to adapt this system when to transcribe the Japanese into Roman characters, and hope that you will recommend this system to all to be realized the importance of standardization.

Hereupon we repeal Cabinet Order No.3 as of September 21, 1937.

December 9, 1954

The Prime Minister Sigeru Yosida