Record Set in Japan for Largest Gathering of People with Same Name

Tokyo, Oct. 29 (Jiji Press)--A total of 178 Hirokazu Tanakas met at a venue in Tokyo's Shibuya district on Saturday, setting a new record for the largest gathering of people with the same full name as recognized by Guinness World Records.

The previous world record was set in the United States in 2005 when 164 Martha Stewarts got together. Hirokazu Tanakas successfully broke this record in their third attempt.

The venue erupted in cheers when an official keeper from Guinness World Records confirmed that the record has been renewed after counting the number of Hirokazu Tanakas gathered there. A certificate recognizing the largest gathering of people with the same first and last name was presented to the participants.

The gathering was organized by 53-year-old Hirokazu Tanaka, a corporate worker from Tokyo.

When he learned in 1994 that a pitcher named Hirokazu Tanaka was picked to join a professional baseball team in Japan, he felt as if he himself was chosen, as the pitcher's name used exactly the same "kanji" Chinese characters as his. Japanese people's names are sometimes read the same even if they use different kanjis.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]