What is is tanaka a japanese name?

Yes, Tanaka is a Japanese surname. It is one of the most common surnames in Japan and can be written in kanji characters as 田中. The first character, 田, means "rice paddy" and the second character, 中, means "center". The name is often associated with people who come from the central regions of Japan. Tanaka is also sometimes used as a given name for both males and females.