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ビザ vs 在留資格 vs 在留カード vs 在留期間: Japanese Visa, Status of Residence, Residence Card, Period of Stay, and Immigration Words Explained
You landed at Narita, showed your passport, and got a stamp. Later, an official at your ward office asks for your 在留カード（ざいりゅうカード）. Your Japanese friend mentions renewing her ビザ. A form asks for your 在留資格（ざいりゅう... -
住民票 vs 戸籍謄本 vs 戸籍抄本 vs 印鑑証明書: Japanese Residence Record, Family Register, Partial Register, Seal Certificate, and City Hall Documents Explained
You need to open a bank account, register your marriage, buy a car, or sign a lease. The clerk at the city hall counter says you need 住民票（じゅうみんひょう）— or was it 戸籍謄本（こせきとうほん）? And what exactly is 印鑑証明書（いん... -
履歴書 vs 職務経歴書 vs エントリーシート vs 応募書類: Japanese Resume, CV, Work History, Entry Sheet, and Job Application Documents Explained
You've found a job in Japan that looks perfect. You click "Apply," and the company asks you to submit your 応募書類（おうぼしょるい）. But what exactly does that mean? Do you need a 履歴書（りれきしょ）? A 職務経歴書（しょくむけいれきし... -
在籍 vs 在学 vs 在職 vs 所属: Japanese Enrollment, Student Status, Employment Status, Affiliation, and Profile Words Explained
You're filling out a Japanese bank application and it asks for your 在籍先（ざいせきさき）. Or a university asks you to submit a 在学証明書（ざいがくしょうめいしょ）. Or a new employer requests proof of 在職（ざいしょく）. And somewhere ... -
卒業証明書 vs 修了証明書 vs 在学証明書 vs 成績証明書: Japanese School Certificates for Study, Work, Visa, and Application Documents
You are filling out a job application in Japan. The form asks you to attach a 卒業証明書（そつぎょうしょうめいしょ）. You went to a language school for a year, so you attach the completion certificate you received at the end of your cour... -
証明書 vs 証書 vs 認定証 vs 資格証: Japanese Certificates, Official Documents, Certification, Qualification Proof, and Application Vocabulary Explained
You are applying for a job in Japan and the HR team sends you a checklist that includes: 卒業証明書（そつぎょうしょうめいしょ）, 修了証書（しゅうりょうしょうしょ）, 認定証（にんていしょう）, and 資格証（しかくしょう）. You know all four ... -
審査 vs 確認 vs 検査 vs 調査: Japanese Screening, Review, Check, Inspection, Investigation, and Application Status Words Explained
You apply for a credit card in Japan and get a message saying 審査中（しんさちゅう）. Your doctor sends back a report with 検査結果（けんさけっか）. A business email asks you to do ご確認ください（ごかくにんください）. A news report says... -
本人確認 vs 身分証明 vs 身元確認 vs 当人認証: Japanese Identity Verification, ID Documents, Identity Proofing, Authentication, and KYC Words Explained
You are opening a Japanese bank account online. The app says 本人確認をしてください. You upload your driver's licence. Later, when you log in, the app sends a six-digit code and calls it 当人認証. At the hotel front desk, the staff asks ... -
添付 vs 同封 vs 同梱 vs 送付: Japanese Attach, Enclose, Include in Package, Send Documents, and Business Email Wording Explained
You sit down to write a Japanese business email. You want to say "I have attached the invoice." Easy enough — but which word do you use? 添付（てんぷ）? 送付（そうふ）? And what about when you mail a physical document in an envelope, or ... -
原本 vs コピー vs 写し vs 控え: Japanese Original Documents, Copies, Official Copies, Personal Records, and Submission Rules Explained
You are filling out a form at the city office, and the instructions say: 住民票の写しを提出してください. You think, "I already have a copy of my residence card — can I just use that?" Not so fast. In Japanese paperwork, there are four di...
