What are key phrases for formal Japanese business meetings
Key formal Japanese business meeting phrases
The most useful formal Japanese business meeting phrases are the ones that manage the meeting smoothly: opening politely, introducing speakers, moving through the agenda, acknowledging points, and closing with humility. In business settings, the safest choices are often honorific or humble forms such as いただきます, いたします, and 申します, because they signal respect without sounding stiff or unnatural.
Opening a meeting
A formal meeting usually starts with a greeting, a brief acknowledgment of everyone’s time, and a clear transition into the agenda. These phrases are common because they sound professional and work in both in-person and online meetings.
- 会議を始めましょうか。 (Kaigi o hajimemashō ka.) — “Shall we start the meeting?”
- ただいまより会議を始めさせていただきます (Tadaima yori kaigi wo hajimesasete itadakimasu) — “We will now begin the meeting.” (very polite)
- 本日はお忙しい中お集まりいただき、ありがとうございます (Honjitsu wa oisogashii naka oatsumari itadaki, arigatou gozaimasu) — “Thank you for taking the time to attend this meeting despite your busy schedules.”
- ご多忙の中、お時間をいただきありがとうございます (Go-tabō no naka, ojikan o itadaki arigatō gozaimasu) — “Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule.”
The most formal option in this group is させていただきます, which literally means “to be permitted to do.” In meetings, it often softens statements such as “We will begin” or “We will move on,” making the speaker sound deferential rather than commanding.
Stating the agenda and moving the meeting forward
Once the meeting has opened, Japanese business speech often uses direct but softened language to guide the discussion. The goal is to be clear while avoiding a blunt tone.
- 今日の議題は___です。 (Kyō no gidai wa ___ desu.) — “Today’s agenda is ___.”
- 議題に入らせていただきます (Gidai ni hairasete itadakimasu) — “Let’s move on to the agenda.”
This kind of phrasing is useful because Japanese meetings often rely on explicit transitions. A clear sentence marking the shift to the next topic helps listeners follow the flow, especially when several people are speaking in sequence.
Inviting a presentation or opinion
When asking another person to speak, Japanese business style usually names the person first and uses polite request language. This keeps the tone respectful and avoids sounding abrupt.
- さん、プレゼンをお願いします。 (-san, purezen o onegai shimasu.) — “Mr./Ms. ___, please start the presentation.”
- この事案について、何か意見はありますか。 (Kono jian ni tsuite, nani ka iken wa arimasu ka.) — “Do you have any opinions/questions on this matter?”
The phrase 〜をお願いします is a practical default in meetings because it works for presentations, explanations, and simple requests. For an even more deferential tone, speakers may use expressions such as お願いできますでしょうか, which sound more tentative and polite.
Confirming, acknowledging, and responding
In business Japanese, short acknowledgments matter. A concise response can show that a message was understood without interrupting the speaker or overexplaining.
- ご確認ください (Go kakunin kudasai) — “Please confirm.”
- 承知いたしました (Shōchi itashimashita) — “Understood.” (formal acknowledgment)
承知いたしました is one of the most useful high-politeness responses in meetings. It is appropriate when receiving instructions, confirming next steps, or agreeing to a request. It sounds more formal than わかりました, which is correct but less elevated in many business contexts.
Greeting people and introducing yourself
Introductions in Japanese business culture are often formulaic for good reason: they are efficient, respectful, and instantly recognizable as professional.
- 初めまして。〇〇（会社名）の△△と申します。 (Hajimemashite. ___ (Company) no ___ to mōshimasu.) — “Nice to meet you. I’m ___ from ___.”
- お世話になっております。 (Osewa ni natte orimasu.) — “Thank you for your continued support.” (used for clients/business partners)
お世話になっております is especially important in ongoing professional relationships. It is not a literal statement about being “taken care of”; instead, it functions as a set business greeting showing appreciation for the relationship itself. It appears constantly in emails, phone calls, and meetings with clients, vendors, and colleagues outside one’s immediate team.
Closing a meeting or leaving politely
Meetings often end with a short closing phrase, especially if someone needs to leave before others. The closing language should be polite, brief, and unobtrusive.
- どうぞよろしくお願いいたします (Dōzo yoroshiku onegai itashimasu) — “I look forward to working with you.” (formal closing)
- 失礼いたします (Shitsurei itashimasu) — “Excuse me for leaving.” (polite closing)
失礼いたします is one of the most versatile exit phrases in Japanese. It can be used when leaving a room, ending a call, or stepping out of a meeting. In a business setting, it signals that departure is being done respectfully, not abruptly.
How politeness works in business Japanese
Formal Japanese business speech depends heavily on honorific and humble language. The most common meeting phrases often combine two patterns:
- Respectful or deferential phrasing for the listener or situation
- Humble phrasing for the speaker’s own actions
Useful forms include:
- させていただきます (sasete itadakimasu) — a very polite way to say “I will do X”
- 申します (mōshimasu) — humble form of “to say/name oneself”
- いたします (itashimasu) — humble form of “to do”
These forms are not just “extra polite” versions of standard verbs; they are part of how Japanese marks status, responsibility, and social distance in professional settings. Overusing them can sound scripted, but using them in the right places makes speech sound appropriately businesslike.
Practical usage tips
A useful meeting pattern in Japanese is:
- Open with a greeting or thanks.
- State the purpose or agenda.
- Invite a presentation or comment.
- Acknowledge responses briefly.
- Close with a polite ending.
That structure keeps the meeting orderly and reduces the chance of sounding too direct. It is also why many learners benefit from practicing full exchanges rather than isolated phrases: the rhythm of formal Japanese business speech matters as much as the words themselves.
A few common pitfalls are worth avoiding:
- Using casual language such as ありがとう or じゃあ in a formal meeting when a more polite equivalent is expected.
- Translating English business phrases too literally, which can produce awkward Japanese.
- Choosing the wrong level of politeness for the relationship; a phrase that is perfect with a client may sound excessive with close internal teammates.
For pronunciation, the long vowels in forms like 申し上げます, 承知いたしました, and どうぞよろしくお願いいたします can change how polished the sentence sounds. Clear, measured delivery matters more than speed in a business meeting, and active conversation practice is often the fastest way to make these expressions feel automatic.
Quick reference: the most useful phrases
- 会議を始めましょうか。 — Shall we start the meeting?
- ただいまより会議を始めさせていただきます — We will now begin the meeting.
- 本日はお忙しい中お集まりいただき、ありがとうございます — Thank you for attending despite your busy schedules.
- 今日の議題は___です。 — Today’s agenda is ___.
- 議題に入らせていただきます — Let’s move on to the agenda.
- ___さん、プレゼンをお願いします。 — ___, please start the presentation.
- この事案について、何か意見はありますか。 — Do you have any opinions or questions on this matter?
- ご確認ください — Please confirm.
- 承知いたしました — Understood.
- お世話になっております。 — Thank you for your continued support.
- 初めまして。〇〇の△△と申します。 — Nice to meet you. I’m ___ from ___.
- 失礼いたします — Excuse me for leaving.
- どうぞよろしくお願いいたします — I look forward to working with you.
These phrases cover the core functions of a formal Japanese business meeting: opening, directing, responding, and closing with the right level of politeness.