How to Write a Business Proposal (Kikakusho) in Japanese
A Japanese business proposal is usually called a 企画書 (kikakusho, a proposal for a new plan or project) or a 提案書 (teiansho, a proposal to a client). Both follow a predictable structure: background and current issues, purpose, the proposal itself, expected results, schedule, cost and resources, and risks. Japanese readers expect the conclusion up front, concrete numbers, clear evidence and a tidy one-page summary, written in polite です・ます or concise noun-ending style.
Kikakusho or teiansho?
| Document | Used for |
|---|---|
| 企画書 | Proposing a new project, event, product or campaign, often inside your own company. |
| 提案書 | Proposing a solution or service to a client or partner. |
| 稟議書 | Asking for formal internal approval once the plan is agreed. Often follows a kikakusho. |
A standard structure
- Title (件名・タイトル), date, your name and department.
- Summary (概要): what you propose and why, in a few lines.
- Background and issues (背景・現状の課題): the problem, with data.
- Purpose (目的): what the plan should achieve.
- Proposal (提案内容・施策): what you’ll do, how and for whom.
- Expected results (期待される効果): measurable targets.
- Schedule (スケジュール) and resources and budget (体制・予算).
- Risks and responses (リスクと対策).
Useful expressions
| Japanese | Say it | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 〜をご提案いたします。 | … o go-teian itashimasu. | We propose … |
| 現状、〜という課題があります。 | genjō, … to iu kadai ga arimasu. | At present, there is the issue of … |
| 本施策により、〜が見込まれます。 | hon-shisaku ni yori, … ga mikomaremasu. | This measure is expected to … |
| 〜の削減を目指します。 | … no sakugen o mezashimasu. | We aim to reduce … |
| ご検討のほど、よろしくお願いいたします。 | go-kentō no hodo, yoroshiku onegai itashimasu. | We would be grateful for your consideration. |
What Japanese readers look for
- Conclusion first. Put the proposal and its benefit at the top, not at the end.
- Numbers and evidence. Cost, time saved, targets and sources make a proposal credible.
- Risks addressed. Showing you’ve thought about what could go wrong builds trust.
- Clean layout. Short headings, bullet points, charts and a one-page summary. Slides are common for teiansho; see giving a presentation in Japanese.
- Consistent style. Use です・ます in body text, and concise noun endings (〜の実施, 〜の検討) in bullet points.
Before you submit
Share a draft with key people first; a proposal that has been discussed informally is far more likely to pass. See Japanese workplace culture. Then have your Japanese checked, since small errors stand out in formal documents. For reports after the project starts, see writing reports in Japanese.
How Hanabuddies can help
Our native Japanese tutors teach one-to-one online, in English. We can help you plan and write your own proposals, correct your Japanese and practise presenting them. If you’d rather write in English, we also translate proposals into Japanese, and Takekuni proofreads our Japanese. See also translating a quotation or proposal.