Shibou douki (志望動機) explains why you are applying and why the match makes sense. It is not a ceremonial paragraph about admiring the company. A useful statement connects what the employer needs, what you have already demonstrated, and what you intend to contribute.
Begin with evidence from the role and company
Read the job description, product or service pages, recent company communications, and the team or role information available to candidates. Record concrete signals: customer group, business problem, responsibilities, working style, required capabilities, and current priorities. Avoid vague claims such as “global company,” “innovative culture,” or “stable business” unless you can explain why that fact matters to your decision.
Separate attraction from fit. Attraction is why the opportunity interests you. Fit is why your experience gives the employer reason to consider you. A strong paragraph needs both.
Use a three-part structure
- Reason: identify the specific work, customer, mission, or challenge that draws you to the role.
- Evidence: select one or two experiences that show relevant capability.
- Contribution: state how you want to apply that capability in the target role.
From generic enthusiasm to a credible fit
I am applying because I strongly identify with your philosophy and would like to grow at a global company. I will use my communication skills to contribute.
I am applying because your team is expanding self-service tools for small retailers, a problem closely connected to my four years designing inventory workflows. In my current role, I redesigned replenishment alerts used by 1,800 stores and reduced avoidable stockouts by 17%. I hope to apply that experience in operational research and cross-functional delivery to improve adoption among your growing merchant base.
The stronger example does not praise the employer excessively. It establishes a reason, supplies evidence, and proposes a relevant contribution. The same evidence should also appear in your shokumu keirekisho; the motivation statement interprets it rather than introducing an unsupported claim.
Adjust length to the field
A rirekisho field may allow only a short paragraph, while an online application or entry sheet may request a specific character count. Draft a complete version first, then compress it without removing the employer-specific reason or the evidence. Do not reduce it to a list of adjectives.
| Space | Priority | What to remove first |
|---|---|---|
| Very short field | Reason + strongest evidence + contribution | Background already visible elsewhere |
| 150–200 Japanese characters | One coherent example | Multiple motivations and long company praise |
| 300–500 Japanese characters | Reason, evidence, approach, future contribution | Unrelated career history |
When changing industry or function
Do not hide the change behind “I want a new challenge.” Name the transferable capability and show where it came from. For example, a hospitality manager moving into customer success might connect high-volume issue resolution, retention conversations, team coaching, and service recovery to the target role. Then explain what you have done to close genuine knowledge gaps.
The change should read as a considered direction, not an escape from the current employer. If your work history includes several moves or a gap, use the career transition guide to keep the explanation factual and forward-looking.
Common problems
- The company name could be replaced without changing the paragraph.
- The statement repeats the company website but says nothing about your evidence.
- “Communication,” “passion,” or “challenge” appears without an example.
- The contribution is too broad to connect to the advertised role.
- The paragraph criticizes a current or former employer.
- The facts contradict dates or responsibilities elsewhere in the application.
Final editing questions
Ask: Why this role rather than a similar role elsewhere? Which sentence proves I can contribute? Is that proof visible in my work history? Would I be comfortable explaining every claim in an interview? Finally, read the statement aloud and remove formal phrases you would never naturally use. Professional Japanese can still sound like a real person.