Country guides / Japan
Japanese Rirekisho Guide 2026 (for Foreigners)
Japan uses a two-document system. The rirekisho (履歴書) is a standardized JIS-format form: facts only, no selling. Achievements go in a second, free-format document: the shokumukeirekisho (職務経歴書). This builder generates the rirekisho.
The rules at a glance
Format
Standardized JIS form: fixed fields, fixed order
Photo
Required: 3×4 cm, formal, plain background
Personal details
DOB and address are standard fields on the form
Dates
Year/month (2020年3月); entries end with 以上
Two documents
Rirekisho (facts) + Shokumukeirekisho (achievements)
Typed vs handwritten
Typed is fine, and safer for non-native writers
✓ Do
- List education and jobs as dated entry/exit lines (入学/卒業, 入社/退社)
- Write a short, sincere 志望動機 (reason for applying)
- Use the Self-PR box for strengths, briefly
- Prepare a separate shokumukeirekisho with your achievements
- Type it; handwriting kanji as a non-native is a risk, not a virtue
✕ Don't
- Job achievements or bullet points inside the rirekisho
- Casual photos; this is the most formal photo you'll ever take
- Leaving the 志望動機 box empty or generic
- Western-style creative formatting
- Forgetting 以上 at the end of the history table
💡 Modern MHLW-recommended forms dropped the gender field (2021). Most employers accept Western calendar years; just be consistent.
Quick answers
- How long should a Japan rirekisho be?
- See the rules above.
- Should it include a photo?
- Required: 3×4 cm, formal, plain background
- Can I build one for free?
- Yes. The GlobeResume builder applies every rule on this page automatically, previews your rirekisho live, and exports to PDF and Word. It runs entirely in your browser, so your data never leaves your device.
Build my Japan Rirekisho free
No sign-up. The builder pre-loads every Japan convention from this guide.