An Essential Guide to Offer Meetings in Japan

Introduction 

You’ve finally finished the final rounds of the interview with a company - What now? Will they send an offer soon? What should you do then? Many, many thoughts are running through your head and you might start imagining scenarios. If you’ve never experienced a job offer meeting in Japan, you might be unsure what to do next.

オファー面談 offer mendan, or offer meetings, is one of the final phases in Japan’s recruitment process. It’s a unique experience for foreign professionals and can be somewhat confusing if you don’t know what it is. Unlike an interview, an offer meeting is a specially arranged meeting where the company presents the job offer and the candidate asks questions to decide if they want to take it. During interviews, the candidate is usually expected to answer questions. However, in an offer meeting, the company provides answers with the hope that the candidate will accept the offer.

However, there are no requirements for companies to hold offer meetings and is often an implicit step in a company’s hiring process. Some companies will arrange them automatically, and others will expect candidates to request one if they have questions. If a company doesn’t mention an offer meeting, it doesn’t necessarily mean they’re unwilling to have one. 

For foreign professionals working in tech, navigating this final phase is crucial to your career success. If you’re still in the middle of looking for your next opportunity, read How to Find a Job as a Software Developer in Japan to get specific tips. Knowing what to do throughout the process from what to prepare to final red flags to look out for can all elevate your job search.

This article will provide a step by step guide to help you navigate this phase. It will cover everything you need to know like understanding what an offer meeting is, how to prepare, attend, and accept or decline the offer afterwards. We’ll also share common traps to avoid and sample email templates in English and Japanese.

Step 1: Understanding the Purpose of an Offer Meeting 

At its core, an offer meeting in Japan is a discussion between the company and the candidate to speak about the job that the company is offering. However, if you think further about the goals of each party, you’ll see just how critical this meeting is in the hiring process.

For the company, it is their last opportunity to convince the candidate to take this offer. At this point in the process, they have invested a lot of time and resources in choosing you as their top hire. This is why companies often use the offer meetings to highlight the opportunity of working with them along with the benefits and their company culture in hopes to gain your commitment.

The goal is different for you, the candidate. The offer meeting serves as a chance to assess if the offer matches with your career goals. This includes immediate goals like compensation and work flexibility but also goals like job responsibilities, promotion prospects, and long-term career direction. By the end of the meeting, the candidate’s aim is to walk away with enough information to make an informed decision on whether to accept or decline the offer.

What Happens During an Offer Meeting?

Offer meetings in Japan may vary depending on the company but in general, they include the following elements: 

• An online or in-person meeting that lasts about 60 minutes

• HR and/or the hiring manager will attend the meeting. If it’s a startup, the founder or a C-level executive. 

• If you’ve already gotten the job offer prior to the meeting, you’ll be expected to have it on hand for reference. In some cases, they may provide a printed version of it ready.

• The company may walk you through each part of the offer and explain the details.

• The company might ask if you have any questions and let you guide the discussion.

• If it’s in-person, the company might give you a quick guide of the office. 

Common Misunderstandings about Offer Meetings in Japan

“Offer meetings are just a formality”

Offer meetings aren’t just a ritual before signing a contract. The meeting is an excellent chance for candidates to gain clarity of the offered role. 

“Offer meetings are my only time to negotiate salary”

Salary Negotiation can be a part of the conversation but it is not the only expected topic. There are various topics you can bring to the meeting. If your goal is to negotiate your salary, there are strategies to take that acknowledge the various discussion topics.

If you want to learn more about how to ace salary negotiations in Japan, you can learn more here: How to Negotiate your Salary in Japan: A guide for Tech Professionals

“If the company doesn’t bring up offer meetings, it means they don’t want to have one”

In Japan, it’s common for candidates to request an offer meeting themselves. If a company doesn’t schedule one, it also does not mean they are less interested in working with you. In any situation, once you have received an offer, it’s a good idea to request for one.

Offer meetings are crucial for foreign professionals to understand key factors that impact decision making. It’s also a rare occasion when the candidates can ask many questions about working there.

Now that we’ve looked at the purpose of an offer meeting, let’s shift our focus to the preparation for one including what to do if you don’t have details of your offer yet.

Step 2: Preparing for Your Offer Meeting

To ensure your offer meeting goes successfully, preparation is a step you should never miss. There are two main scenarios and what your preparation should look like.

Scenario 1: You haven’t received a written offer letter yet

If you haven't received a written offer letter yet, but you’ve been invited to an offer meeting, your first step should be to send a polite email requesting the offer letter in advance. Your email can look something like this:

Hello [Name],

Thank you for inviting me to the offer meeting. I’m very excited to discuss the details. Would it be possible to ask for a copy of the offer letter beforehand?

This would help me greatly in preparing specific topics during our meeting. 

If there's anything I can also prepare on my end, I would be glad to do so as well. 

Thank you again for your support. 

Best,

[Your Name] 

Keep in mind there are no strict rules for what goes on an offer letter and some companies will send an email informing you they’re interested in working with you as a replacement for an offer letter. The amount of information provided at this point will vary but your main task is to gather as much information as you can to prepare for the offer meeting. Without a written offer letter, the information you’ll be using will mainly come from these sources:

• The job description

• Notes you took during and after your interviews

• Email exchange with the company correspondence

• Reliable online resources

The next step is to cross check how much you know so far. Here’s a handy checklist to help you out:

• Position name 

• Contract Type

• Probation

• Main responsibilities

• Compensation

• Remote work policy

• Start Date

• Benefits (Ex. Commute, paid leaves)

For each, write down what you know. If you don’t know what your compensation is, there are online resources to help you understand. Check out Software Developer Salaries in Japan: The Ultimate Guide to get a comprehensive look on this topic. 

It’s extremely important you also come up with specific questions to ask during the offer meeting. The last thing you want as a job seeker is to accept an offer then later find out about something because you forgot to ask. Below is a checklist for all information you should know or ask about:

• Deadline of the offer letter. By when do I need to officially provide a response? 

• Position Name. What exactly is my role and to what team do I belong? 

• Contract type. Does the contract have an expiration? Will it be automatically renewed? If not, when will I be told about it? 

• Probation. Is there one? How long is it for? What happens at the end of my probation? 

• Main responsibilities. What are some of my immediate expected responsibilities and tasks? Who will I be reporting to? 

• Start Date. When is my expected start date? 

• Working hours and location. How will I be reporting my work hours? How often am I expected to work from the office/remotely? What remote work policies are there? 

• Compensation. What is my offered compensation? What is the base salary? Is there any overtime allowance included in the offered compensation? How does the compensation scheme work? Is there a grade system that is tied to compensation? How often will I be evaluated and have a chance to speak about my compensation? 

• Benefits. Commute allowance, housing allowance, relocation support, visa support, Japanese language classes, bereavement leave, paid leaves, menstrual leaves, parental leaves, childcare or nursing care leave. 

Scenario 2: You have received an offer letter

If you already have a written offer letter the main step for preparing the offer meeting is for you to thoroughly read and understand the offer letter. Use the checklist above to see if the offer letter covers everything you should know. 

On top of the offer letter, another vital step to the preparation is to consider negotiating the offered compensation. In general, it’s highly recommended to take the opportunity to do this. You can learn all about how to negotiate your salary in this article: How to Negotiate Your Salary in Japan: Essential Guide for Tech Professionals. In most cases, a company is also expecting to speak about your compensation during the offer meeting so there is no need to worry if it will seem too abrupt or impolite. 

Finally, have a clear idea on if you do want to take the offer. If there are any uncertainties or doubts it’s extremely important you understand what’s causing this so that you can use the offer meeting as a way to gain clarity. It’s not enough to say, “There’s something that feels off about this offer”. By getting to the bottom of its cause it will help prevent making rash decisions in the moment. 

Step 3: What to Expect in the Meeting & How to Respond 

There are a couple of things you can expect during the offer meeting and how best to respond to them. First, the typical flow of the meeting will be mostly a Q&A type where you’ll have more opportunity than the previous interviews to ask direct questions about the offered position. 

Speaking of offers, one extremely important aspect for job seekers who are new, is that the offer letter might be written in Japanese. Some companies will provide English and Japanese or the English translated version but it’s important to understand some words that may be unfamiliar to you. This is why it’s preferable to ask in advance for the copy of the offer letter so you can have more time to prepare. During the meeting, typically the HR will go over each section and ask to check if you have any questions about the offer. If there is a better time to address concerns or worries this is it, so don’t hesitate to ask. 

The meeting will typically take around an hour with the HR and possibly a manager or a C-level member if it’s a startup. 

Let’s also address common questions about the offer meetings:

Will I be pressured to accept the offer on the spot?

There are no rules that say you’re required to say during the offer meeting if you’ll accept the offer or not. If you feel pressured to respond, take this as a red flag. You are entitled to have time to think over an important decision. At the end of the offer meeting, thank them for their time and let them know you will contact them as soon as possible with updates. 

Is it rude if I ask for more time?

It’s perfectly normal to want to give it some thought after the offer meeting to make your final decision. To be mindful of the company’s situation, reassure them that you are indeed interested in the offer and that you’ll get back to them as soon as you can. The speed of response reflects your level of interest for companies so if you actually want to take it, don’t wait too long. It would be wise to respond positively within 24 hours of the offer meeting. 

How do I ask for clarification on details? 

When asking questions, err on the side of starting the topic with an open ended question. This means avoiding yes or no questions. 

This is a great technique when speaking to native Japanese speakers. Japanese communication is nuanced and people can feel attacked when asked too many direct questions. Asking open-ended questions helps them feel more at ease. 

For example, instead of “Does my annual salary include any bonuses?” you can shift the question to, “Could you tell me the breakdown of the annual salary written in the offer?” This also helps keep the tone more positive and leaves room for the company to share things that may be beneficial for you. 

If you still don’t get the answer you’re looking for you can use a closed question as a follow up. “Ok, so to confirm, the annual salary doesn’t include any bonuses?” 

Step 4: Should You Negotiate Before or After the Meeting?

One of the common questions related to offer meetings is about the timing of your negotiation. Especially in a culture that avoids confrontation, navigating this phase when the stakes are high can be pretty nerve wrecking. Even in a non-confrontational culture, negotiating during an offer stage is not unusual. You can negotiate during and/or after the offer meeting. This is because in most cases, companies are aware of your intentions and are more prepared to discuss the topic. 

Whether you want to negotiate during or after the meeting depends on the awareness of your strengths and the situation overall. If your strength is verbal communication and the company has shown a high interest in working together with you, you can opt for negotiating during the offer meeting. I recommend this option for experienced job seekers. 

On the other hand, if you prefer to think over before expressing your thoughts, sending an email after the offer meeting is a better choice. This option is also helpful if you are waiting for offers from other companies that you may want to leverage.

If you are new, here is my recommendation. Go to the offer meeting with the intention to ask questions about the offer but not negotiate. Reassure the company you are very interested in working with them but since this is a big decision, you would like to think it over at home. Once the meeting is over, send your negotiation email. To learn more about how to write the email and look at examples, you can read further from this article: How to Negotiate Your Salary in Japan: Essential Guide for Tech Professionals.

Keep in mind the offer meeting happens just once so plan and execute wisely. 

Step 5: How to Accept a Job Offer Professionally

After you’ve done the offer meeting and negotiated the terms, it’s finally time to decide what you want to do with it. If you decide to accept the offer there are cultural and professional etiquettes that will help you put your best foot forward. First, be sure to respond within the expiration date of the offer. It would be best to make them wait as little as possible so once the decision has been made draft and send your email immediately. 

The email can look something like this: 

Hi [Name],

Thank you again for giving me a chance to learn more about the offer yesterday. I appreciate your flexibility in accepting some of my requests. After careful consideration, I’m excited to accept your offer. Please find attached the signed document.

There were several reasons that led me to this decision. [Share briefly few points of feedback] 

I truly look forward to us working together.

Thank you again for your continued support. I’m looking forward to learning more about the next steps.

Best,

[Your Name]

ご担当者様

お世話になっております。貴社よりオファーをいただいた、[Your Name]と申します。

昨日はお忙しい中オファー面談を実施いただき、誠にありがとうございます。 

改めてポジションについて確認することができ、本オファーについて理解を深めることができました。

検討した結果、是非貴社で働かせて頂きたいと考えております。

つきましては以下書類を添付しましたので、ご確認のほどよろしくお願いいたします。

1日でも早く皆様と切磋琢磨することを楽しみにしております。

引き続きよろしくお願い申し上げます。

[Your Name]

Once the company has received your acceptance email, typically someone from HR will inform you of what the next steps are. Depending on your situation this may differ. 

If you are getting visa sponsorship, be ready to provide documents to start this process. If you do not need one, they will send you a list of documents to prepare for when you’ll actually be working there. 

Step 6: How to Politely Decline an Offer 

There are situations when even after you’ve had the offer meeting and you’ve negotiated, you’ll want to decline the offer. As an etiquette, let the company know if you are considering other options. 

If you need more time to decide, send an email immediately letting them know when you’ll get back to them. Remember the speed of your communication is directly relevant to your level of interest for the company so if you are indeed considering their offer, don’t make them wait too long. 

Here are example emails to send if you decide to decline the offer:

Hello [Name],

Thank you again for the offer you’ve sent. I’m writing to share an update on my decision.

After careful consideration, I have decided to decline the offer. My decision is [brief reason why] 

I want to thank you and your team again for giving me the opportunity to get to know you all and about the position. 

Last but not least, I’m sending you my best wishes for your continued growth and success.

Best regards

[Your Name]

ご担当者様

平素より大変お世話になっております。

この度は内定をいただき、改めてありがとうございます。

慎重に検討した結果、内定を辞退させていただきたく存じます。

貴重な機会をいただきながら心苦しい結果となり、恐縮ですがご理解いただければ幸いです。

面接を担当していただいたみなさまには特に大変お世話になりました。重ねてお礼申し上げます。

末筆となりますが、貴社の益々の発展を心よりお祈り申し上げます。

[Your Name]

Step 7: Final Things to Consider Before Signing a Contract 

The final step after you’ve had the offer meeting in Japan is to sign the offer letter. At this point emotions are high and it’s easy to rush things but make sure you know exactly what you are accepting. Here are some last minute red flags to watch out for:

The company puts a lot of pressure on you

If you feel extremely pressured to accept the offer, this is your first red flag. The way a company communicates is a reflection of how they treat their employees. No company should coerce you into a job. 

Most of the answers to your questions remain unanswered

Even after asking for clarifications, if the company does not provide a clear response you may need to reconsider accepting the offer. It’s  dangerous to go into a job with uncertainties, especially if they are important to you. Especially if you are a foreign professional getting visa sponsorship, the company falling short of their promise can have direct consequences to your work permit. 

You don’t know what you’ll be doing 

If you are unclear about your responsibilities, it’s vital to get clarification before signing the offer. The risk of accepting a job without knowing what’s expected of you is burnout. Even if you have the ultimate option to leave, being stuck in a position with responsibilities that don’t align with your expectations can have a long term impact on your career. Remember it will help them as much as it will help you to be on the same page about your responsibilities. To better educate yourself on workplace culture in Japan, check out Japanese Work Culture: Here’s How to Survive. If you experience strong push back, take it as a red flag. 

Conclusion & Resources

The final stage of the job search can be a challenge. Balancing between logically considering different options while managing your array of emotions is never easy. Offer Meetings are a unique practice in Japan that could throw some job seekers off but by educating yourself you can learn to handle it well. 

Key takeaways:

• Always request for a written job offer

• Use the offer meeting as a way to clarify details

• Have specific questions ready for the offer meeting

• Be communicative with updates