Ringi and Nemawashi: How Japanese Companies Make Decisions
Many Japanese companies make decisions through ringi (稟議): a written proposal (稟議書, ringisho) that circulates to each relevant manager for approval before the final decision-maker signs off. It is usually preceded by nemawashi (根回し), informal one-to-one conversations to build agreement in advance. For foreign partners, this explains why Japanese companies rarely say yes in the meeting, ask for detailed documents, and take longer to decide, but tend to move fast and stay committed once approval is given. The best way to speed things up is to give your contact everything they need to write the ringi.
Key words
| Japanese | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 稟議書 | ringisho | written proposal for internal approval |
| 根回し | nemawashi | informal groundwork before a decision |
| 起案者 | kiansha | the person who drafts the proposal |
| 決裁 / 決裁者 | kessai / kessaisha | final approval / final decision-maker |
| 社内で検討します | shanai de kentō shimasu | we’ll consider it internally |
How the ringi process works
- Nemawashi: your contact talks informally with their manager and other departments (legal, finance, IT) to gauge reactions and address concerns.
- Drafting: the contact writes the ringisho, explaining the purpose, cost, benefits, risks and alternatives.
- Circulation: the proposal goes to each relevant manager, often through an electronic approval system today, who approves, comments or sends it back.
- Final approval: the decision-maker approves, and the decision is shared with everyone involved.
Practices vary a lot. Start-ups and owner-run companies may decide quickly; large, established companies usually take longer. Ask your contact how their process works and who needs to approve.
What this means for foreign partners
- Don’t push for a decision in the meeting. 社内で検討します is usually literal: they need to take it back. See negotiating with Japanese companies.
- Your contact is your champion. They have to explain your proposal to people you’ll never meet. Make that easy.
- Expect detailed questions about risk, track record, support and what happens if things go wrong. These are for the ringisho, not a sign of distrust.
- Changes after approval are costly. A new price or scope may mean restarting the process, so get the proposal right first.
- Plan around the fiscal year. Many companies budget for an April start, so proposals for the next year are often discussed in winter.
How to speed it up
- Send a clear written proposal, ideally with a Japanese version or summary. See writing a business proposal in Japanese.
- Include case studies, references, a timeline, costs and risk measures.
- Ask what else the internal approval needs: そのほか、社内のご検討に必要な資料はございますか.
- Follow up politely and regularly, and keep minutes of what was agreed. See meeting minutes in Japanese.
If you work inside a Japanese company, you may draft ringi yourself one day; see horenso and Japanese workplace culture.
How Hanabuddies can help
We translate proposals, presentations and summaries into natural business Japanese your contact can use internally, and provide English–Japanese interpreters for meetings online or in person in Japan and abroad (you cover the interpreter’s travel). For your team, our native tutors teach business Japanese one-to-one online. It starts with a free consultation.