CV & resume standards in Japan

This is the live market data our scanner applies when a resume targets Japan — not an opinion piece. The local document is the 履歴書 + 職務経歴書; here is what employers there actually expect.

Photo on the CV? Expected — omitting one hurts

A 4×3 cm photo is required on the rirekisho — applications without one are treated as incomplete.

Personal data conventions

Name, DOB, gender, address on the standardized JIS form; consistent calendar (Western or Japanese era) required.

Market conventions

• • Two-document system: rirekisho (standardized facts form) + shokumukeirekisho (free-format career history where achievements go)

Check your resume against these standards

The free scan evaluates your resume against Japan's norms automatically — photo expectations, personal-data conventions, length, and the keywords your industry expects.

Scan my resume free

Source: the country-standards engine of this site's resume scanner. When the engine's data improves, this page updates with it.