Japanese for HR Professionals: Hiring, Rules and Staff Conversations
HR in Japan has its own vocabulary and habits: graduates are hired in one yearly intake (新卒一括採用), work rules (就業規則) set out the conditions for everyone, people may be transferred between roles or cities (異動), and many conversations happen in one-to-one meetings (面談). If you work in HR with Japanese staff, learning these terms and a few polite phrases makes meetings smoother and documents easier to check. This guide explains the language; for employment law, ask a qualified labour and social security attorney (社会保険労務士) or lawyer.
Key vocabulary
| Japanese | Say it | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 人事 | jinji | HR, personnel |
| 新卒採用・中途採用 | shinsotsu saiyō, chūto saiyō | Graduate hiring, mid-career hiring |
| 就業規則 | shūgyō kisoku | Work rules |
| 雇用契約書 | koyō keiyakusho | Employment contract |
| 有給休暇 | yūkyū kyūka | Paid leave |
| 社会保険 | shakai hoken | Social insurance (health, pension) |
| 異動・転勤 | idō, tenkin | Transfer, relocation |
| 人事評価 | jinji hyōka | Performance evaluation |
| 退職 | taishoku | Leaving, resignation |
Phrases for one-to-one meetings
| Japanese | Say it | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| お時間をいただきありがとうございます。 | ojikan o itadaki arigatō gozaimasu. | Thank you for your time. |
| 最近、仕事はいかがですか？ | saikin, shigoto wa ikaga desu ka? | How has work been recently? |
| 何か困っていることはありますか？ | nanika komatte iru koto wa arimasu ka? | Is there anything you’re struggling with? |
| この件は社内で確認して、改めてご連絡します。 | kono ken wa shanai de kakunin shite, aratamete gorenraku shimasu. | I’ll check this internally and get back to you. |
| ここで話した内容は秘密にします。 | koko de hanashita naiyō wa himitsu ni shimasu. | What we discuss here stays confidential. |
Things that often surprise non-Japanese HR teams
- Indirect feedback. Staff may not raise problems directly; regular one-to-ones help. See Japanese workplace culture.
- Unused paid leave. Many people take less leave than they’re entitled to. See asking for time off.
- Evaluations with self-assessment. See performance reviews at a Japanese company.
- Formal resignation steps. See how to resign from a Japanese company.
- Graduate recruiting calendar. See shūkatsu.
Documents in two languages
Work rules, contracts, handbooks and evaluation forms often need to exist in Japanese and English. A careful translation helps staff understand their conditions, but which version is legally binding is a question for your lawyer. See translating HR documents for Japanese staff.
How Hanabuddies can help
A native tutor can teach you HR Japanese and polite phrases for staff conversations in online lessons. We translate HR documents (not certified translation, and not legal advice), and provide English–Japanese interpreters for one-to-ones, staff meetings and hiring interviews, in person or online; see interpreting hiring interviews.