Country guides / Japan vs United States
Japan Rirekisho vs US Resume: Key Differences (2026)
What is the difference between a Japanese rirekisho and a US resume?
A Japanese rirekisho is a standardized form with fixed fields, including a required 3x4 cm photo, date of birth, and address. A US resume bans all three, since employers discard resumes revealing protected characteristics. Japan also expects a second document, the shokumukeirekisho, for achievements, while the US packs everything into one page.
Japan vs United States: side by side
| Rule | Japan (Rirekisho) | United States (Resume) |
|---|---|---|
| Name of the document | Rirekisho | Resume |
| Format | Standardized JIS form: fixed fields, fixed order | Same as general practice |
| Photo | Required: 3×4 cm, formal, plain background | Never; most employers reject resumes with photos |
| Personal details | DOB and address are standard fields on the form | None. No date of birth, nationality or marital status |
| Dates | Year/month (2020年3月); entries end with 以上 | Mar 2020 – Present |
| Two documents | Rirekisho (facts) + Shokumukeirekisho (achievements) | Same as general practice |
| Typed vs handwritten | Typed is fine, and safer for non-native writers | Same as general practice |
| Length | Same as general practice | 1 page (2 pages fine with 5+ yrs experience) |
| Language | Same as general practice | US English (color, organization) |
| ATS | Same as general practice | Critical: mirror keywords from the job posting |
The differences that actually get applications rejected
Photo and personal data. A rirekisho requires a formal 3x4 cm photo on a plain background, and date of birth and address are standard fields on the form. On a US resume those same details are disqualifying, because anti-discrimination law pushes employers to discard resumes that reveal protected characteristics. Send a photo resume to a US recruiter and it usually goes straight to rejection.
Form vs free layout. The rirekisho is a standardized JIS form with fixed fields in a fixed order, so there is nothing to design and no way to stand out through layout. A US resume is a blank page you structure yourself, kept to one page, or two once you have five or more years of experience. Submitting a free-form resume where a rirekisho is expected signals you do not understand Japanese hiring, and a rigid form-style document looks equally wrong to US recruiters.
Two documents, not one. Japan splits the application in two: the rirekisho records the facts of your education and career, while the shokumukeirekisho is where you present your achievements. Applying with only a rirekisho leaves a Japanese employer no reason to interview you, because the form has almost no room for accomplishments. In the US, a single resume does both jobs and is expected to lead with results.
Dates, spelling and ATS. Japanese entries use year and month, written like 2020年3月, and the work history closes with 以上 to mark the end; most employers accept Western calendar years as long as you stay consistent. US resumes write dates as Mar 2020 to Present and use US English spellings such as color and organization. US applications also pass through ATS software first, so mirror keywords from the job posting or a human may never see your resume.
Convert between the two in one click
The free GlobeResume builder holds your content once and re-formats it per country: pick Japan for the Rirekisho, switch to United States and the same details become a correct Resume. No signup, and everything stays in your browser.
Free, no sign-up. Switch countries any time; your content converts instantly.
Japan vs United States FAQ
- Does a rirekisho have to be handwritten?
- No. A typed rirekisho is fully accepted today, and for non-native Japanese writers it is the safer choice because errors are easy to correct before printing. Handwriting adds risk without adding value for most applications.
- Do I still need to include my gender on a rirekisho?
- The modern form recommended by Japan's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare dropped the gender field in 2021, so you can use a template without it. Date of birth and address remain standard fields on the form.
- Should Japanese professionals remove the photo and birth date when applying to US companies?
- Yes, remove the photo, date of birth, nationality, and marital status entirely. Most US employers reject resumes with photos, and anything personal beyond your name and contact details actively works against you. Keep the resume to one page unless you have five or more years of experience.
- How do I convert my resume between the two formats?
- Enter your details once in the free GlobeResume builder and switch the country to re-format instantly, with no signup required. The same information renders as a proper rirekisho for Japan or a clean one-page US resume, adding or stripping the photo and personal fields automatically. Paid tiers simply remove the watermark.