The jinmeiyō kanji (人名用漢字, Japanese pronunciation: [dʑimmeːjoːkaꜜɲdʑi], lit.
However, on May 25, 1951, the cabinet extended the set of characters usable in names by specifying the first 90 jinmeiyō kanji.
Over the years, the Minister of Justice has increased the number of name kanji, and has a plan for further addition in response to requests from parents.
The list included certain characters in strong demand by parents for use in their children's names, such as: Many others were included not for their potential uses in names (as is noted), but rather because of their frequent use and being easy to read and write.
After sharp protests, the council decided to withdraw nine characters from the 489 whose inclusion had been discussed.
In late 2010, the Japanese government added 196 characters to the jōyō kanji list.
The modern form (shinjitai), which appears in the jōyō kanji list, is given in brackets.
[4][5] Usage of the jinmeiyō kanji in Japanese names varies widely.