scription suitable for foreigners. With the exception of a few extremists, foreigners and Japanese alike desire such a phonetic transcription and not a phonemic orthography designed to displace Chinese characters and kana in Japan itself, but many Japanese have been misled into supporting Nipponsiki or Kokutei because of misunderstandings as to the relative merits of the systems and the misconception that the Old Romanization was foreign in origin. Despite the action of the Japanese government, there is strong opposition to the use of Kokutei in Japan as well as abroad, and the Old Romanization still remains by far the most generally accepted system. Therefore, if serious confusion is to be avoided in the transcription of Japanese names and words, a strong stand should be taken by Japanese and foreigners alike against the use of Kokutei or Nipponsiki. If this is done, there is good reason to believe that before long the Old Romanization may again be officially accepted in Japan, as it is elsewhere.
