Japanese Business Emails

How to write effective emails to Japanese that they will read and respond to

Everyone is busy. Everyone receives too many emails that waste time due to a lack of clarity. So, imagine the extra work involved if you are also reading ones in a foreign language and with a different style. Granted, you’re probably not going to write in Japanese, but you can use their level of politeness to help them want to accommodate you. And by roughly following the Japanese email format, it will be easier for your Japanese colleagues to read and respond to your emails quickly. In this article, we are going to address writing from an overseas subsidiary to Japanese colleagues in Japan or expatriated to the subsidiary.

Cc: Japanese tend to have many people in the Cc line to keep others in the loop. The order of names is not random but, of course, according to hierarchy. You should be careful, however, when selecting people in the Cc or Bcc as most Japanese companies strictly follow the Personal Data Protection Law.

Subject: You should create a new subject topic if the string of emails has changed subjects. And if it has completely changed, it’s much better to start with a fresh email—you never know who it might be forwarded to.

Salutation: If you are writing to someone you correspond with or interact with frequently, you can mirror the way they greet you and use the name they like. Salutations might look like these:

• Hi Harry-san (for someone living in the U.S., for example, who has taken on the custom of using first names and has adopted an English name. In this case, Harry for the first name Hiro).

• Hello Yamamoto-san (customary use of last names).

• Dear Yamamoto-san (a standard option for someone in your company who is probably used to more politeness).

• Dear Mr./Ms. Yamamoto (for a superior or someone you know less well—needless to say, also for a client).

Greeting: Japanese don’t jump suddenly into the topic of an email without a transition phrase. This serves to create an emotional connection and buffer the abruptness of emails. If this is a new email, it’s common to identify yourself on the same line, being careful NEVER to use san after your own name.

• Thank you for the quick reply.

• Thank you for stopping by to talk with me the other day.

• Please forgive me for the delayed response. This is Jack.

• Thank you always for your help. This is Jack Adams.

• How are you? This is Jack Adams in the sales department.

• Sorry to bother you when you are so busy. This is Jack Adams in the sales department.

• Sorry for the abrupt email and request. This is Jack Adams in the sales department.

• I hope you are staying well in the hot (cold, spring, autumn) season. This is Jack Adams in the U.S. sales department.

Body: Here, you should signal that you are moving onto business by skipping a line and saying, “This is regarding ~~.” Japanese emails are softer, more respectful, and humble than American emails so it behooves you to be more polite than usual, and even more if you are requesting something.

Start a new paragraph wherever it would help the reader understand easily and number new points if there is a chance they will need to refer to one in their reply. Make your message as concise and short as possible while maintaining clarity. Don’t ask for something you could find yourself if you took the time.

• I would appreciate it if you could help us understand...

• It would be a great help if you could provide us with the following information...

Indicate that you have read their email carefully (because, of course, you have).

• Regarding the product specifications, I understand the information below. I have also reviewed your attached file and will share it with my coworkers.

Closing:

• Please give my regards to ~~

• I look forward to hearing from you.

• Best regards,

• I would be grateful if you could take care of this.

• If you have any questions, please feel free to contact/ask me.

• I know you are busy, but thank you very much for your cooperation (or help).

• Thank you in advance.

The key to good writing is good editing, so don’t skip this step. Go back and reread what you wrote carefully. If you think this is too time-consuming, just think of how much more time consuming it will be for both of you if something needs to be clarified.

Look for:

• Unnecessary big words. Don’t try to sound intelligent by using long words; this is tiresome even to other English speakers.

• Idioms, slang, memes, or anything else that could be confusing to someone who has learned textbook English.

• Long sentences, especially if they are rambling. Short sentences are often more precise.

• Ambiguity. Clarity is your friend.

• Abrupt or abrasive sound, even if that’s not how you mean it.

By making these tips habit, you will be able to apply them quickly. And you will be well on your way to ensuring that your colleagues will read and respond to your emails.

by Diana Rowland, author Japanese Busines: Rules of Engagement

Also see: Four Tips for Giving Presentations to Japanese