Finding a job in Japan requires understanding its unique two-document application system. Unlike many countries where one resume is enough, Japan uses both rirekisho and shokumu-keirekisho documents that work together. Japanese companies value structure and following established formats, which helps hiring managers quickly find information and ensures consistent candidate presentation.
Japanese Resumes: The Basics
When applying for jobs in Japan, you need two separate documents:
- Rirekisho (履歴書) – A standardized personal information form
- Shokumu-keirekisho (職務経歴書) – A detailed work history document
Rirekisho and Shokumu-keirekisho: What’s the Difference?
Rirekisho serves as your basic personal data sheet following a strict, standardized format. It includes personal information, education history, and a simple list of past jobs with very little space for describing actual duties or achievements. Most importantly, it requires a professional photograph.
Shokumu-keirekisho works like a Western-style resume, giving you freedom to describe your professional experience in detail. You can explain job responsibilities, highlight achievements, and show skills developed in each role. Unlike the rirekisho’s fixed format, this document allows flexibility in organizing information.
The Format Expected by Employers
Both documents must be written in Japanese unless applying for specific English-teaching positions. Use A4 paper size and common Japanese fonts like Gothic or Mincho.
Rirekisho Requirements:
- Always exactly two pages
- Must include a photograph of you in business attire
- Use JIS (Japanese Industrial Standard) template
- Fill every section or write “特になし” (nothing in particular)
- List information chronologically (oldest to newest)
Shokumu-keirekisho Guidelines:
- One to three pages maximum
- Flexible layout options
- Include detailed job descriptions and quantifiable achievements
- Give more background information and really explain your experience
How to Write a Rirekisho・履歴書
The rirekisho divides into eight main sections that must be completed accurately, as this document serves as your official personal record.
Application Date
Write your submission date at the top right using Japanese format “xxxx年xx月xx日” (year/month/day). For example: “2025年9月18日” for September 18, 2025. Choose either Japanese calendar (和暦, wareki) or Western calendar (西暦, seireki) but use consistently throughout. Keep dates current – update if your rirekisho is over three months old.
Name, Date of Birth, Gender・指名、生年月日、性別
Write pronunciation guide (furigana) in hiragana above the name field. For non-Japanese names, use English letters rather than converting to kanji or katakana. Use the same calendar system for birth date as submission date. Write current age next to birth date. Circle appropriate gender: male (男) or female (女).
Address and Contact Info・現住所、連絡先
Write complete current address in Japanese if living in Japan. Include postal code, prefecture, city, district, and building information. Below is the permanent address, write “同上” (same as above) if identical to current address. Provide reliable phone number and professional email address.
Your Photo
A professional looking photograph is mandatory – recent (within 3 months), 4cm x 3cm, showing face and upper chest against plain white or blue background. Dress formally: men wear dark suit with tie, women wear conservative blouse and blazer. Avoid glasses, heavy makeup, accessories, or elaborate hairstyles. Maintain neutral expression, maybe with slight smile.
Academic and Work History・学歴、職歴
Combine education and employment chronologically, starting from oldest. Write “学歴” (gakureki, educational history) centered, then list schools from high school graduation. Include entry and graduation dates with full official names. Write “職歴” (shokureki, work history) centered on new line. List jobs using “株式会社○○入社” (kabushikigaisha…nyuusha, joined XX company) and “株式会社○○退職” (kabushikigaisha…taishoku, left XX company).
Licences and Qualifications・免許、資格
List relevant certifications, licenses, and qualifications with official names and dates received. Include professional licenses, language certifications (JLPT levels), computer skills, and industry-specific qualifications. Organize by relevance to target position.
Make it Personal: Reason For Applying, Special Skills, Your Appeal
This section provides your only rirekisho opportunity to show personality. Explain motivation for applying to the specific company and role. Research company beforehand for genuine, specific statements rather than generic ones. Mention special skills, languages, or unique experiences. Use polite, formal Japanese business language (keigo).
In this section you can also describe your personal appeal, these should be personal traits you have that will be useful in the given role. Reflect on the nature of the job you are specifically applying for, and imagine what personal strengths you can contribute.
Requests and Expectations: What Do You Need?
Cover practical matters like work location, salary expectations, and availability. Many write “貴社の規定に従います” (I will follow your company’s regulations) to show flexibility. Include expected commute time as companies often provide transportation allowances.
How to Write a Shokumu-keirekisho・職務経歴書
This document showcases your professional value with strategic organization and detailed achievements, focusing entirely on career capabilities.
Personal History Summary・経歴要約
Begin with 200-300 character professional summary capturing your career and value. Focus on relevant experience and key achievements rather than listing every job.
Keep this summary concise but impactful. Mention your years of experience, your main area of expertise, and one or two specific results you achieved. This section helps hiring managers quickly understand your background before reading the detailed information that follows.
Avoid generic statements that could apply to anyone. Instead, include specific industries, skills, or achievements that make you stand out from other candidates applying for the same position.
Work History・職務内容
Create separate subsections for each company in reverse chronological order (most recent first). Include company name, employment period, job title, and relevant company details like employee count and business type. Describe specific roles and responsibilities with concrete examples and quantifiable results. Instead of “improved sales,” specify “increased quarterly sales by 25% through implementing a new customer relationship management system.” Address employment gaps or career changes transparently.
Qualifications, Knowledge, Skills and Experiences You Can Utilize
Organize professional qualifications, technical skills, and relevant experiences by categories appropriate for your industry. For language skills, specify proficiency levels including JLPT or TOEIC scores. For technical skills, explain expertise level rather than simply listing software names. Include transferable skills from different industries when relevant.
自己PR: Sell Your Strengths
The self-promotion (自己PR) section is your opportunity to convince employers that you are the best candidate for their position. This section should connect your past experiences to the specific requirements of the job you want.
Start by identifying the key qualities the employer is seeking based on the job description. Then provide specific examples from your career that demonstrate these qualities. Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your examples: describe the situation you faced, the task you needed to complete, the action you took, and the result you achieved.
Focus on achievements that show leadership, problem-solving ability, teamwork, and results-oriented thinking. Japanese employers particularly value candidates who can work well in groups, adapt to changing situations, and contribute to long-term company success.
End this section by explaining how your skills and experience will benefit the company you are applying to. Show that you have researched their business and understand how you can contribute to their specific goals and challenges. This demonstrates genuine interest in the position rather than just looking for any job.
Templates: PDF Downloads
Using correct templates ensures professional appearance and proper formatting. Official templates follow JIS format or government agency standards like Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.
Rirekisho Template PDF
Rirekisho templates follow strict, standardized layouts with designated spaces for all required sections. Most are available in Excel format for easy typing. Download from official sources: government websites, major job sites like Rikunabi or MyNavi, university career centers, or convenience stores (printed forms cost about 100 yen). You can also use this standard template linked below.
Link to download Rirekisho template:
Shokumu-keirekisho Template PDF
These templates offer more flexibility with chronological, functional, and skills-based format options. Chronological works for steady career progression, functional suits career changers, and skills-based emphasizes technical capabilities. Templates accommodate A4 paper with a maximum three pages. You can also use this standard template linked below.
Link to download Shokumu-keirekisho template:
Sample Documents
Here are some sample documents that you can use for reference when creating your own rirekisho and shokumu-keirekisho. These samples are based on the templates provided.
Sample Rirekisho
Download Here:
Sample Shokumu-Keirekisho
Download here:
Tips and Other Information
Success requires understanding cultural expectations and modern hiring practices beyond correct formatting.
Be Specific With Your Accomplishments
Japanese employers want to see concrete evidence of your ability to deliver results. Instead of writing vague descriptions like “improved customer service” or “managed projects successfully,” provide specific numbers, percentages, and measurable outcomes that show the real impact of your work.
Transform general statements into powerful accomplishments by adding quantifiable details. For example, change “increased sales” to “increased monthly sales by 35% over six months by implementing new customer follow-up system.” This approach shows employers exactly what you achieved and suggests you can deliver similar results for their company.
Include context that helps employers understand the significance of your achievements. If you reduced processing time by 2 hours, explain whether this was a daily, weekly, or monthly improvement. If you managed a team, specify how many people reported to you and what their roles involved. This context helps hiring managers evaluate the scale and complexity of your responsibilities.
Compare your performance to benchmarks when possible. Mention if you exceeded targets, performed better than previous years, or outperformed other team members. These comparisons help employers understand that your results represent exceptional performance rather than normal job execution.
ATS Optimization
Many Japanese companies now use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to screen resumes before human reviewers see them. These computer programs scan documents for specific keywords and qualifications that match the job requirements. Understanding how to optimize your Japanese resumes for ATS can prevent your application from being filtered out automatically.
Research the job posting carefully to identify important keywords and phrases that appear multiple times. Include these exact terms in your shokumu-keirekisho where they naturally fit your experience. For example, if the job requires “project management” skills, use that specific phrase rather than synonyms like “project coordination” or “project oversight.”
Save your documents in compatible file formats. Most ATS systems work best with Microsoft Word documents (.docx) or PDF files with selectable text. Avoid image-based PDFs or unusual file formats that might cause scanning problems.
Include relevant technical skills and software names exactly as they appear in job descriptions. ATS programs often search for specific technology names, certification titles, or industry terminology. Match the spelling and formatting used in the job posting to ensure your qualifications are detected correctly.
However, avoid keyword stuffing or including irrelevant terms just to game the system, as this could actually backfire.
Keep Kanji Simple (Add Furigana When Needed)
Prioritize readability. Write primarily in hiragana and katakana, and avoid difficult or uncommon kanji that could slow comprehension or be easily misread. When a specific kanji is necessary (e.g., official qualification names or place names), include furigana to ensure correct pronunciation and instant understanding (furigana being hiragana written above the kanji itself). Clear, accessible language reduces cognitive load and helps busy reviewers grasp your key points fast.
Provide an English Companion Page
Attach a brief English version of your shokumu-keirekisho as a separate page. Keep it concise (one page), mirroring section order and headings. Use plain, metric-driven summaries of achievements so non-Japanese stakeholders can validate your background. Label both files clearly (JP/EN), and ensure numbers, dates, job titles, and company names match exactly to prevent confusion during internal reviews.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common Concerns
Handwriting requirement: Modern companies generally accept typed resumes, especially for mid-career and foreign applicants, though some traditional companies may prefer handwritten documents.
English vs Japanese: Most companies require Japanese resumes even for international positions, except certain roles like English teaching or foreign company positions.
Document length: Keep shokumu-keirekisho between 1-3 pages maximum based on experience level.
Employment gaps: Address gaps honestly in shokumu-keirekisho with brief explanations.
Salary information: Don’t include unless specifically requested; write “according to company regulations” in requests section.
Multiple applications: Customize each application for specific companies rather than using identical documents.
Conclusion
Mastering the Japanese resume system gives significant advantage in Japan’s competitive job market. The rirekisho serves as your official personal record requiring strict format adherence, while the shokumu-keirekisho showcases professional achievements and skills alignment.
Success requires attention to detail, appropriate business language, consistency, and cultural awareness. Research each company thoroughly and customize applications to show genuine interest. View the process as demonstrating cultural understanding and professional commitment rather than just meeting requirements.
With proper preparation following these guidelines, your Japanese resumes can open doors to exciting career opportunities in Japan’s dynamic economy.
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