Writing a Japanese Resume (Rirekisho) as a Foreigner

Quick answer (30 seconds): A Japanese job application usually needs two documents, not one. The rirekisho is a short, standardized personal-data form (with a photo) covering who you are, your schooling, and a bare list of jobs. The shokumu-keirekisho is a separate, free-format work-history sheet where you actually sell your experience and skills. Western-style CVs are rarely accepted on their own. Plan to prepare both, and have a Japanese speaker proofread before you send.

Why a Japanese resume is different

If you have applied for jobs in your home country, you probably wrote one CV that mixed your background and your achievements together, in whatever layout looked good. Japan splits that into two purpose-built documents.

• The rirekisho (履歴書, rirekisho) is a fill-in-the-blanks personal record. Its layout is fixed, so recruiters can scan it fast.
• The shokumu-keirekisho (職務経歴書, shokumu-keirekisho) is your free-format career story, where you describe duties, results, and strengths.

Think of the rirekisho as the form and the work-history sheet as the pitch. Most employers ask for both. A polished Western CV alone often reads as "incomplete" to a Japanese hiring team, even when the content is strong.

This article is general guidance, not legal or career advice. Requirements vary by employer and change over time, so always follow the specific instructions in the job posting and check official sources.

The rirekisho: your standardized personal record

For years the standard layout came from a Japanese Industrial Standard (JIS) sample form. In July 2020 the body that publishes JIS removed that resume sample, and in April 2021 the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) published its own recommended resume form to fill the gap. You will still see "JIS-style" templates everywhere, and they remain widely accepted, but the MHLW form is a safe, current default.

What goes on a rirekisho

A typical rirekisho includes:

• Name and furigana (a phonetic reading of your name). Non-Japanese names are usually written in capital letters, family name first.
• Date of birth, address, phone, and email.
• A photo in the top-right corner (more on this below).
• Education and work history in plain chronological order (oldest first) — just school names, company names, and join/leave dates. No descriptions here.
• Licenses and certifications (for example, a driver's license, language tests, or IT certifications).
• A motivation and self-PR box (志望動機, shibo-doki) — a few lines on why you want the role.
• Personal request / preferences (for example, desired start date or location).

What the modern form dropped

The MHLW recommended form intentionally made it more privacy-friendly:

• The gender field is optional — there is no male/female checkbox, and you may leave it blank.
• Fields for commute time, number of dependents, spouse status, and spouse-support obligations were removed, because they are considered highly private. If an employer genuinely needs that information, they are expected to ask appropriately later, not on the form.

Older templates floating around online may still show these dropped fields. If your form has them and you would rather not answer, prefer a current MHLW-style form, or leave optional fields blank.

Dates: pick one calendar and stay consistent

You can write dates using the Western calendar (seireki, e.g. 2026) or the Japanese imperial era (wareki, e.g. Reiwa 8). Either is fine — but use the same system throughout the whole document. Mixing them looks careless.

Where to get a rirekisho

• Convenience stores and 100-yen shops (such as Daiso, Seria, 7-Eleven, FamilyMart, Lawson) sell paper rirekisho, often bundled with an envelope. Prices are low; check the current price in-store.
• Download a digital template from the MHLW and type into it — increasingly the norm, and easier to edit.
• Online resume builders aimed at foreign residents can generate a clean, correctly formatted file.

Handwritten vs. typed: handwriting used to signal sincerity, but a neatly typed rirekisho is now standard and perfectly acceptable for most roles — and far easier to fix. For engineering and other office jobs, typed is the safe default.

The resume photo

The photo still matters in Japan and is expected on most rirekisho. General guidance:

• Size: commonly 40mm tall x 30mm wide, but check the box printed on your form, as it can vary.
• Style: plain passport-style headshot, neutral background, business attire (for example, a collared shirt; a jacket and tie is the conservative choice).
• How: photo machines in stations and shopping centers can print resume-sized photos automatically, or a photo studio will cut them to size. Glue or tape it into the box; if you submit digitally, paste the image into the file.

A few employers — especially in tech — now skip the photo. If the posting says it is optional, you can leave it off.

The shokumu-keirekisho: where you actually sell yourself

This is the document that wins interviews. Unlike the rirekisho, it has no fixed layout — you build it to fit the job.

Structure that works

• Format: A4, typed, usually 1–3 pages. Use a single, clean Japanese font throughout (Gothic/Mincho families are standard) and keep it consistent.
• Header: put the title "職務経歴書" at the top, with the date and your name aligned right.
• Career summary: a tight 3–5 line (roughly 200–300 word) overview at the top. Recruiters use this to decide whether to keep reading, so lead with your most relevant strengths.
• Work history: reverse chronological (most recent first), with each role's company, period, your responsibilities, and concrete results or achievements.
• Skills and certifications: for engineers, list programming languages, frameworks, tools, and platforms; links to shipped products or a portfolio help.
• Self-PR: about a 300-word close on what you bring and why you fit.

Translate jargon into plain terms. Replace company-internal names and niche acronyms with widely understood wording, so a non-specialist recruiter can follow your impact.

Rirekisho vs. shokumu-keirekisho at a glance

	Rirekisho	Shokumu-keirekisho
Purpose	Basic personal record	Career pitch / proof of skills
Layout	Fixed form	Free format
Photo	Usually yes	No
History order	Chronological (oldest first)	Reverse chronological
Detail level	Names and dates only	Duties, results, skills
Reused as-is?	Mostly yes	Tailor per application

A simple workflow for foreigners

1. Download or buy a current rirekisho (MHLW-style form is a safe default).
2. Take a resume photo at a station booth or studio at the right size.
3. Fill the rirekisho carefully; pick one calendar system and keep it consistent.
4. Build the shokumu-keirekisho in A4, tailored to the specific role, with a strong summary and concrete results.
5. Proofread with a native speaker — even small wording slips stand out. Recruiters and bilingual friends are good reviewers.
6. Save clean files (PDF for email, or print neatly) and submit per the posting's instructions.

If you are a software engineer or other specialist, a strong shokumu-keirekisho plus a portfolio matters more than a perfect rirekisho. Many tech and global companies in Japan are flexible on the form and may accept an English CV — but having a clean Japanese pair ready widens your options. (See our related guides on moving from a student to a work visa and on the hanko / personal seal you may still encounter at hiring and onboarding.)

FAQ

Do I really need both documents? Usually yes. Most employers expect a rirekisho plus a shokumu-keirekisho. Some tech or global companies accept a Western-style CV — but check each posting, and having the Japanese pair ready never hurts.

Should I write them by hand? A neatly typed version is standard and accepted today, and it is far easier to correct. Only handwrite if a specific employer asks for it.

Is the photo mandatory? It is still expected on most rirekisho. A growing number of employers (often in tech) make it optional — if the posting says so, you can omit it.

Can I write my resume in English? Some global and startup employers accept English, especially for engineering roles. For most Japanese companies, a Japanese rirekisho and shokumu-keirekisho are expected. When unsure, prepare both and ask the recruiter.

Where can I get my Japanese checked? Ask a Japanese-speaking friend, a recruitment agency's consultant, or a job-support service. A quick proofread catches phrasing that automated tools miss and noticeably improves your impression.