It is also used for filling out an application 
for something in Japan--such as, a membership to 
something. You have to fill out your name "twice" 
is what it amounts to--- in two different writing 
forms. 
Why? 
Well, in Japan some of the most difficult Kanji 
(Chinese characters) to read or understand are 
peoples names! Yes, that's right, sometimes the 
way a person's name is written can be translated 
or read two or three different ways, or even too 
difficult for the average reader to understand or 
read. But everyone, (that reads Japanese) knows 
how to read Hiragana (Japanese phonetic 
characters) or Katakana (Japanese phonetic 
characters used for non-Japanese or foreign words 
or things). So both Japanese and most non-
Japanese are forced to use either Hiragana and 
Katakana to write out there names phonetically, 
(or sometimes even "Romaji", or standard English 
alphabet). This, of course, can be very confusing 
and as such, a lot of times Japanese are very 
confused or unsure of which to use themselves at 
times when it comes to "outsiders".