Do You Need a Cover Letter in Japan? The Sōfujō and Where Motivation Goes
Japanese job applications don’t normally include a Western-style cover letter. Your reasons for applying go in the motivation section of your résumé (志望動機) and in your interview instead. What you do send, if you post your application, is a short covering note called a 送付状 (sōfujō) or 添え状 (soejō): one formal page that says who you are, what you’re applying for and which documents are enclosed. If you apply by email, the email itself does this job. Foreign companies in Japan may still accept an English cover letter, so check the job ad.
Where your motivation goes instead
| What a cover letter does | Where it goes in Japan |
|---|---|
| Why this company | The motivation section of the rirekisho. See how to write a shibō dōki. |
| What you can offer | Self-PR (自己PR). See how to write a jiko PR. |
| Your relevant experience | The career history (職務経歴書). See shokumu keirekisho. |
| Polite introduction | The sōfujō (posted) or the email body (online). |
How a sōfujō is laid out
- Date, top right.
- Recipient, top left: company name, department, and the person’s name with 様, or the department with 御中 if you don’t know a name.
- Your details, right: address, phone, email, name.
- Title, centred: 応募書類の送付について (sending my application documents).
- Body: opening 拝啓, a seasonal or set greeting, two or three sentences on the position you’re applying for, and closing 敬具.
- Enclosures, under 記: for example 履歴書 1通, 職務経歴書 1通, then 以上.
Keep it to one A4 page. The set phrases are the same as in formal letters; see how to write a letter in Japanese.
A short sample body
拝啓 時下ますますご清栄のこととお慶び申し上げます。
このたび、貴社の〇〇職の求人を拝見し、応募させていただきたく、応募書類をお送りいたします。
ご検討のほど、何卒よろしくお願い申し上げます。
敬具
This says: “I saw your advertisement for the … position and am sending my application documents. Thank you for considering my application.” Keep the details for the résumé and interview.
Applying by email
Use a clear subject line, such as 〇〇職への応募（氏名）, a short body with the same content as a sōfujō, and attach your documents as PDFs. See job application emails in Japanese.
How Hanabuddies can help
We check and correct your sōfujō, rirekisho, shokumu keirekisho and application emails, and help you put your motivation into natural Japanese that recruiters expect. A native tutor can then prepare you for the interview. See career coaching for Japan.