How to write an email in Japanese

Writing Japanese emails is not difficult if you know the formats. First, let’s learn the most basic one. *Note: For the sake of simplicity, we have literally translated Japanese into English. Some of them may not be natural in terms of English, but please utilize them to understand the structures of the different Japanese email formats.

Japanese Email Format

件名けんめい： 本日ほんじつのお礼れい

本文ほんぶん：

株式会社かぶしきがいしゃワサビ 山やま田だ 武たけし様さま

いつもお世話せわになります。

合同会社ごうどうがいしゃ 暖だんの松本まつもとです。

本日ほんじつは貴き重ちょうなお時じ間かんをありがとうございました。

まだまだ課か題だいが残のこっておりますが、

御社おんしゃのお役やくに立たてるよう今こん後ごも尽力じんりょくして参まいります。

どうぞ今こん後ごともよろしくお願ねがいいたします。

取とり急いそぎ、本日ほんじつのお礼れいのみで失礼しつれいいたします。

―――――――――――――――――

合同会社ごうどうがいしゃ 暖だん 松本まつもと段だん

長崎県島原ながさきけんしまばら市し本光ほんこう寺じ町まち 3296-3

TEL: +81-99-9999-9999

Email: info@wasabi-jpn.com

URL: http://www.wasabi-jpn.com/

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English Translation

Subject: Thank You for Your Time Today

Body:

Dear Mr. Yamada from Wasabi, Inc.

We appreciate your help as always.

This is Matsumoto from Dan, LLC.

Thank you for your time today.

There are still some problems that remain,

we will do our best to contribute to your company.

We hope our relationship will continue for a long time.

This is just a quick note to express our appreciation for your time today.

―――――――――――――――――

Dan LLC. Dan Matsumoto

3296-3 Honkojimachi, Shimabara, Nagasaki, Japan

TEL: +81-99-9999-9999

Email: info@wasabi-jpn.com

URL: www.wasabi-jpn.com

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Explanation

We have added explanations to the example below. Please note: one of the biggest difference between Japanese and English emails is that you have to start a new line when each line contains approximately 15 to 25 letters.

件名けんめい： 本日ほんじつのお礼れい

For the subject, you should summarize your message with one phrase.

本文ほんぶん：

株式会社かぶしきがいしゃワサビ 山やま田だ 武たけし様さま

First, you have to start by addressing the person to whom you are writing. Then, start a new paragraph.

いつもお世話せわになります。

合同会社ごうどうがいしゃ 暖だんの松本まつもとです。

Second, you say who you are with the common business greeting phrase. Then, start a new paragraph.

本日ほんじつは貴き重ちょうなお時じ間かんをありがとうございました。

まだまだ課か題だいが残のこっておりますが、

御社おんしゃのお役やくに立たてるよう今こん後ごも尽力じんりょくして参まいります。

どうぞ今こん後ごともよろしくお願ねがいいたします。

After that, you will write your actual message. It is best that you have only one topic in one email in order to clearly convey what you are trying to say. However, if you would like to mention multiple topics, please start new paragraphs for each topic.

取とり急いそぎ、本日ほんじつのお礼れいのみで失礼しつれいいたします。

Finally, you end your email with a closing phrase.

This is the basic format. Please try to memorize the structure: Subject, Recipient, Introduction, Body and Closing Phrase. Then, you can just replace the contents.

You Can Copy & Paste: Examples of Writing Emails in Japanese

Next, let’s go over each part of the email format. We have listed only practical examples. Please use them when you need to write emails in Japanese.

Subject

… の件けんについて / Regarding …

… のお願ねがい / Request for …

… のご案内あんない / Invitation to …

… の確認かくにん / Confirmation for …

… についての問とい合あわせ / Inquiry about ,,,

… のお礼れい / Thank You for …

… のお詫わび / Apology for …

… のお知しらせ / Notice of …

Label

Addressing Recipients

Writing an Email to Somebody Outside Your Company

The order should be: the name of the organization, the recipient’s family name, and the suffix 「様さま」. There should be a space between the organization’s name and the recipient’s family name. At the end, unlike the way you put a comma in English emails, you should not put anything. The longer a sentence is, the more formal it looks. If you would like to write formal emails, you can add a first name, a designation and a department name.

Writing Emails to a Few Recipients

Please try to keep to the rule: Start a new line when it contains approximately from 15 to 25 letters.

Writing Emails to Several Recipients

「各かく位い」 is a key phrase. It can express your respect; thus, you don’t have to use 「様さま」.

When You Don’t Know Who is in Charge (or, When You Inquire About Something for the First Time)

「御おん中ちゅう」 is another key phrase and can express your respect. However, in most business emails, 「ご担当者様たんとうしゃさま」 can be used and looks professional. 「御おん中ちゅう」 is more suitable for business letters.

Writing Emails to Your Boss or Coworkers

When you write a designation, it looks formal. When you put 「さん」 behind a name instead, it looks casual.

Introduction

Writing as a Representative of an Organization

This is the most common phrase. For the first email, you should write: 「はじめまして。株式会社かぶしきがいしゃワサビの松本まつもとと申もうします。」. Otherwise, you can utilize this one for almost any situation.

Writing as an Individual

You can use the above phase (but use the name of your organization instead). When it comes to writing emails as individuals, this may look a litle polite, but we don’t think being polite will cause any problems. If you would like to be casual, you can remove this introductory part.

Closing Phrases

Although there are several closing phrases in Japanese emails, we suggest that you use the above ones for the time being. They are the most practical and common.

Body

Since this is your actual message, it is a little difficult to show you useful formats. Instead, we will show you some emails used in practice.

Requesting an Appointment

件名けんめい： アポイントメントのお願ねがい

本文ほんぶん：

株式会社かぶしきがいしゃワサビ 石いし田だ様さま

いつもお世話せわになります。

合同会社ごうどうがいしゃ 暖だんの松本まつもとです。

大変たいへんお待またせいたしましたが、

先日せんじつご依い頼らい頂いただいた見み積つもり書しょが完成かんせいいたしました。

何点なんてんか直ちょく接せつご説明せつめいしたいところがありまして、

よろしければ下記かきの日程にっていで少すこしお時じ間かんを頂いただけないでしょうか。

4し月がつ1日ついたち 9時くじ～12じゅうに時じ

4し月がつ2日ふつか13じゅうさん時じ～17じゅうなな時じ

4し月がつ3日みっか10じゅう時じ～17じゅうなな時じ

お忙いそがしいところ恐縮きょうしゅくですが、ご調ちょう整せいを頂いただけますと幸さいわいです。

以い上じょう、ご確認かくにんをお願ねがいいたします。

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合同会社ごうどうがいしゃ 暖だん 松本まつもと段だん

長崎県島原ながさきけんしまばら市し本光ほんこう寺じ町まち 3296-3

TEL: +81-99-9999-9999

Email: info@wasabi-jpn.com

URL: http://www.wasabi-jpn.com/

―――――――――――――――――

Subject: Request for an Appointment

Body:

Dear Mr. Ishida from Wasabi, Inc.

We appreciate your help as always.

This is Matsumoto from Dan, LLC.

We have kept you waiting for a while,

but we have completed the quote you requested the other day.

There are some points which we would like to explain face to face.

Could you give us your preferred time from the following dates if possible?

9:00 – 12:00 April 1st

13:00 – 17:00 April 2nd

10:00 – 17:00 April 3rd

Although we know you are busy, we would be grateful if you could fit us into your schedule.

This is the end (of the email). Please confirm what we have mentioned.

―――――――――――――――――

Dan LLC. Dan Matsumoto

3296-3 Honkojimachi, Shimabara, Nagasaki, Japan

TEL: +81-99-9999-9999

Email: info@wasabi-jpn.com

URL: www.wasabi-jpn.com

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Confirming Your Agreement for the (Technical) Specifications

件名：仕し様ようの確認かくにん （No. 123456）

本文：

株式会社かぶしきがいしゃワサビ 宇治うじ様さま

いつもお世話せわになります。

合同会社ごうどうがいしゃ 暖だんの松本まつもとです。

先日せんじつは仕し様よう書しょのご説明せつめいありがとうございました。

社内しゃないで検討けんとうした結けっ果か、本内容ほんないようで問題もんだいございません。

つきましては、見み積つもり書しょの発行はっこうをお願ねがいできますでしょうか。

お手て数すうをお掛かけしますが、宜よろしくお願ねがいいたします。

以い上じょう、ご確認かくにんをお願ねがいいたします。

―――――――――――――――――

合同会社ごうどうがいしゃ 暖だん 松本まつもと段だん

長崎県島原ながさきけんしまばら市し本光ほんこう寺じ町まち 3296-3

TEL: +81-99-9999-9999

Email: info@wasabi-jpn.com

URL: http://www.wasabi-jpn.com/

―――――――――――――――――

Subject: Confirmation for the Specification (No. 123456)

Body:

Dear Mr. Uji from Wasabi, Inc.

We appreciate your help as always.

This is Matsumoto from Dan, LLC.

Thank you for your explanation the other day.

After internal consideration, the (technical) specifications are not a problem.

And hence, could you please issue a quote?

We are sorry to trouble you, but we appreciate your cooperation.

This is the end (of the email). Please confirm what we have mentioned.

―――――――――――――――――

Dan LLC. Dan Matsumoto

3296-3 Honkojimachi, Shimabara, Nagasaki, Japan

TEL: +81-99-9999-9999

Email: info@wasabi-jpn.com

URL: www.wasabi-jpn.com

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When You Inquire About a New Product (as an Individual)

件名けんめい：新しん商しょう品ひんについての問とい合あわせ

本文ほんぶん：

ご担当者様たんとうしゃさま

はじめまして。松本まつもとと申もうします。

ホームページで新あたらしいスマートフォンを

近日きんじつ中ちゅうに発売はつばい予よ定ていだと拝見はいけんしました。

もしよろしければ具ぐ体たい的てきな発売開はつばいかい始日しびと

おおよその値ね段だんを教おしえて頂いただけないでしょうか。

恐おそれ入いりますが、よろしくお願ねがいします。

以い上じょう、ご確認かくにんをお願ねがいいたします。

松本まつもと段だん

Subject: Inquiry about a New Product

Body:

Dear Sir or Madam,

[A Japanese greeting] . This is Matsumoto.

I saw your homepage saying you’re going to sell a new smartphone model soon.

If possible, could you tell me the specific release date and the rough price please?

I’m sorry to trouble you, but I appreciate your cooperation.

This is the end (of the email). Please confirm what I have mentioned.

Dan Matsumoto

Q&A

What are 「拝啓はいけい」 and 「敬げい具ぐ」?

You may have seen these phrases when you looked up “Dear” and “Sincerely.” They are usually used in letters, not emails. Thus, you can just ignore them.

How should we use To, Cc, and Bcc in Japan?

This is same as English emails. One thing we should mention is that most Japanese companies strictly follow the Personal Data Protection Law. Please be careful when you need to select Cc or Bcc.