A Japanese rirekisho (履歴書) is a factual overview of your identity, education, employment chronology, qualifications, and motivation. It is not simply an English resume translated into Japanese. Its job is to make dates and basic facts easy to verify; the separate shokumu keirekisho explains what you actually accomplished.

1. Start with a current, appropriate format

The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) publishes a recommended resume example for general job seekers. The version introduced in 2021 changed several legacy fields: gender became optional, while commuting time, number of dependants, spouse, and spousal support obligations were removed. Unless an employer provides its own form, this is a sensible baseline.

A computer-generated document is generally acceptable. What matters is that the employer’s instructions are followed, the text is readable, and the output prints cleanly on A4. If an application specifically asks for handwriting or a designated form, follow that request.

2. Store dates as separate start and end months

For every school and job, record the start year/month and end year/month separately. Do not save a preformatted string such as “Apr 2022–Present.” Structured dates let you produce the level of precision each document needs and prevent contradictions between documents.

  • Choose either Japanese era years or Gregorian years and use it consistently throughout the document.
  • Use the date the document is submitted. For postal applications, many Hello Work guides advise using the mailing date.
  • Check that an end month never precedes its start month.
  • Keep the same underlying dates in the rirekisho, shokumu keirekisho, Resume, and CV.

3. Name and reading: ふりがな is not フリガナ

The label determines the script. If the field says ふりがな, enter the reading in hiragana. If it says フリガナ, use katakana. This rule also applies when part of the name is already written in kana. Keep spacing between family and given names consistent with the name field.

Example

氏名　田中 美香
ふりがな　たなか みか

4. Contact details and photo

Write the full address, including building and room number. Use an email address you check regularly and a phone number where you can respond during the hiring process. The alternate-contact field is for a genuinely different contact destination; it need not be filled when it duplicates your current address.

Photo expectations vary by employer and application channel. When a photo is requested, use a recent, front-facing ID-style portrait with a plain background. If no photo is provided, the digital document should not show an empty “optional photo” box: empty placeholders look unfinished and waste space.

5. Education: show events, not compressed ranges

Separate admission and completion into individual chronological events. For high school and above, write the official institution name; for university, include faculty, department, degree, or course where relevant. Typical event labels include 入学 (entered), 編入学 (transferred in), 卒業 (graduated), 修了 (completed), 卒業見込 (expected graduation), and 中途退学 (withdrew).

Example

2018年4月　慶應義塾大学 環境情報学部 入学
2022年3月　慶應義塾大学 環境情報学部 卒業

Do not invent a graduation event for a program you did not complete. Select the accurate status and be ready to explain it briefly if asked.

6. Employment history: one event per line

Use official company names and avoid abbreviations such as “(株)” when space permits. Record entry and exit separately: 入社/入職 for joining, 退職 for leaving, and appropriate events such as 異動, 就任, 出向, 契約期間満了, or 現在に至る when they matter.

Example

2022年4月　株式会社ノーススター 入社
　　　　　 プロダクト部に配属
2025年7月　一身上の都合により退職
　　　　　 以上

The rirekisho is not the place for several paragraphs of duties. A short department or role note may help, but detailed responsibilities and achievements belong in the shokumu keirekisho.

7. Qualifications, motivation, and preferences

List relevant licenses and qualifications by official name with the acquisition date. For language tests, include the level or score and date. “Currently studying” can be useful when it is specific and relevant, but do not present planned qualifications as completed.

A strong motivation statement connects three things: why this employer or role, which evidence from your background is relevant, and what contribution you want to make. Avoid a generic paragraph that could be sent to any company. In the preferences field, write only genuine conditions or use a neutral phrase if you have no special request; do not introduce salary demands unless the application asks for them.

Final rirekisho checklist

  • Submission date is current and the year system is consistent.
  • Name reading uses the script requested by the label.
  • School and company names are official and not casually abbreviated.
  • Admission/graduation and joining/leaving are separate events.
  • All dates match your other application documents.
  • No irrelevant legacy personal fields have been added.
  • The PDF has selectable text, clean page breaks, and no empty photo placeholder.

Sources and further reading