Job Titles and Company Positions in Japan: A Complete Guide

Many Japanese companies have a unique organizational structure that might seem complex at first sight, especially if you're unfamiliar with the culture. 

Even though Japan's corporate world has become more global today, especially in the IT sector, understanding traditional job titles and hierarchies is still very much a valuable asset if you’re considering working and living in Japan in the long run. 

In this article, we’ll explain what these company positions and job titles in Japanese mean and how they're used, giving you a better sense of how traditional and modern companies in Japan operate. So, let’s get to it.

Job Titles in Japanese: A Blend of Modern and Tradition

Many modern Japanese companies and startups, especially in the IT sector, prioritize a flatter structure where open communication is key, so they tend to minimize formal titles as much as possible. And since most of these companies are international, like the ones featured on our Japan Dev board, many of the job titles are adapted directly from their English counterparts.

For instance, titles like “Manager” are often translated, or transliterated, into Japanese as "マネージャー (Maneejyaa)," which is basically just the Japanese way of pronouncing the English word. This reflects the global mindset of many modern companies in Japan that are open to international talent and use job titles that make sense globally. 

That being said, in more traditional or legally established contexts, you'll find a different set of titles that are rooted in Japanese corporate culture and even defined by Japanese corporate law. 

Titles like “Representative director 代表取締役, Daihyou Torishimariyaku)” or “Director (取締役, Torishimariyaku)” are still widely used in the business landscape. Traditional job titles like kaichou or shachou are more commonly used in industries like finance, manufacturing, and construction, where hierarchy and seniority are deeply ingrained. These industries tend to lean towards traditional values, maintaining a strong sense of authority, respect, and clear lines of reporting.

Learning these job titles is key to understanding the Japanese corporate structure and dealing with global Japanese firms, as these titles indicate the formal and authority level of the people you correspond with.

Why Knowing Company Positions and Job Titles in Japanese Is Important

In Japan, hierarchy is a big deal, and it’s present in almost every aspect of the workplace—from seating arrangements and meetings to interactions in common spaces like elevators. 

Understandably, properly addressing someone by their job title shows that you understand and respect the corporate culture, while failing to recognize someone's position within the hierarchy can be seen as very disrespectful.

What’s more, understanding the hierarchy helps avoid confusion about whom to report to and whose instructions to prioritize when you receive multiple requests from people of different ranks. So, to smoothly navigate the complex hierarchy you might encounter in a Japanese workplace, understanding Japanese company positions and job titles is a must.

Japanese Company Hierarchy Overview: What Is The Hierarchy of Japanese Organization?

The concept of seniority is a big part of Japanese culture, influencing both the language and corporate structure. As a result, Japanese companies typically have a hierarchical system, with clear distinctions between junior and senior positions. 

Let’s explain the general hierarchy, what each role does, and how the roles relate to each other, starting from the highest position and working our way down. As an overview, here’s what the Japanese company positions list looks like:

1. 会長 (Kaichou) – Chairperson / Representative Director

2. 社長 (Shachou) – President

3. 副社長 (Fuku Shachou) – Vice-President

4. 専務取締役 (Senmu Torishimariyaku) – Senior Managing Director

5. 常務取締役 (Joumu Torishimariyaku) – Managing Director

6. 部長 (Buchou) – Department Chief

7. 課長 (Kachou) – Section Chief

8. 係長 (Kakarichou) – Subsection Chief

9. 主任 (Shunin) – Unit Chief / Supervisor

Let’s take a closer look at each one.

1. 会長 (Kaichou) – Chairperson / Representative Director

The chairperson, or kaichou, of the Board of Directors is the highest-ranking person in Japan’s corporate structure. They are responsible for overseeing the company’s strategic vision and overall direction.

The Kaichou often outranks the president and is responsible for high-level decision-making, focusing on the company's future direction rather than its daily operations. In many cases, the chairperson is a respected figure within the company, often the founder or a senior executive with extensive experience. 

1. 社長 (Shachou) – President

The Shachou, or president, is essentially the company's CEO, which can also be translated as a Representative Director. They are responsible for the company’s day-to-day management and overall performance, and have executive authority over all company operations, making them the key decision-makers for all daily activities.

Unlike the Kaichou, the Shachou are much more hands-on and actively engaged in the business's daily operations and functioning, ensuring that everything runs smoothly. This is a non-legal title, meaning it isn’t a role that’s defined in Japanese statutes.

1. 副社長 (Fuku Shachou) – Vice-President

The Vice President, or Fuku Shachou, acts as the president's right-hand person. They assist in managing the company's operations and may take on many of the president's responsibilities when the president is unavailable.

The vice president plays a critical role in implementing the president's strategies, ensuring success across departments, and maintaining efficient business operations. This role is often seen as a stepping stone to becoming the president in the future. 

Like the Shachou, the title of Vice-Presidency is also among the non-legal company positions and job titles in Japanese as it isn’t a defined title in the statutes of Japanese corporate law.

1. 専務取締役 (Senmu Torishimariyaku) – Senior Managing Director

The “Senmu Torishimariyaku” (“senmu” for short), or Senior Managing Director, is a senior executive responsible for overseeing multiple departments and ensuring that they align with the company's overall strategic objectives and vision. 

Senmu Torishimariyaku plays a major role in bridging the gap between top-level management and departmental heads, often focusing on long-term goals, operational efficiency, and resource allocation. This position also involves making high-level decisions about company policies and setting priorities that help drive the organization's growth. 

The senior managing director is a vital position that requires a deep understanding of the business and close collaboration with other executives to keep all departments moving in the right direction.

1. 常務取締役 (Joumu Torishimariyaku) – Managing Director

The “Joumu Torishimariyaku” (“Joumu” for short), or Managing Director, oversees specific areas of the company's operations, often managing major divisions or business units. Senmu Torishimariyaku are responsible for making key decisions within their area of control and ensuring that their division meets its objectives.

The Managing Director works closely with department heads to implement policies and strategies set by senior management, ensuring that day-to-day activities align with the broader company goals. They also help identify growth opportunities within their divisions and address any issues that may arise. Essentially, their main job is to keep their side of the business running effectively and efficiently. 

1. 部長 (Buchou) – Department Chief

The “Buchou,” or Department Chief, is in charge of a specific department within the company, such as sales, marketing, or HR. 

Department Chiefs are responsible for managing the team within their department, setting goals, and ensuring that their team contributes effectively to the company's overall mission. Since they are sort of like middlemen, Buchou also act as a communicative and managerial bridge between the higher-ups and the chiefs and supervisors in their departments.

The Buchou directly supervises section chiefs and other department staff, providing leadership and guidance to ensure the success of their individual department. They are also involved in making strategic decisions at the department level, which means managing budgets and overseeing projects to ensure that departmental objectives are achieved as planned.

1. 課長 (Kachou) – Section Chief

The “Kachou,” or Section Chief, acts as a company's control unit. They essentially lead a smaller section within a department, often handling more focused or specialized tasks. They're responsible for managing their sections’ day-to-day activities and ensuring that their team meets specific goals and objectives. 

The Kachou reports to the department chief and plays a hands-on role in managing their own team, addressing challenges, and making sure their section's work aligns with the department's broader goals and strategies.

In addition to team management, the section chief may also be responsible for coordinating with other sections to ensure smooth workflow and identifying areas for improvement within their section. 

1. 係長 (Kakarichou) – Subsection Chief

The “Kakarichou,” or Subsection Chief, oversees a specific team within a section, which is often the smallest operational unit. They supervise their team members’ daily tasks, ensuring that the work is carried out effectively and that team goals are met without missing any due dates.

The subsection chief takes on similar responsibilities to the section chief but at a more focused level. They work closely with employees, which allows them to address immediate issues within the team. Subsection Chiefs are also responsible for gathering feedback from their team and reporting to higher management, acting as a bridge between employees and upper management.

1. 主任 (Shunin) – Unit Chief / Supervisor

If you’re wondering, “What do the Japanese call their managers?”, the closest answer is probably this title. The “Shunin,” or Unit Chief, is typically an experienced employee who oversees the work progress of their individual unit and provides guidance to junior staff. 

Essentially, unit chiefs are responsible for directly supervising the employees' tasks and ensuring that their work is conducted efficiently and successfully.

As a mentor, the Shunin provides training and support to less experienced colleagues and often plays a key role in nurturing new talent within the company. Unlike higher-level chiefs, Shunin are more involved in the practical, everyday aspect of work, making sure the team stays productive and any problems are resolved quickly. 

How To Address Job Titles in Japanese: All About The Honorifics

Knowing how to address people with job titles in Japan is important because these titles carry honorific meaning. Japanese honorific titles are a sign of respect and politeness, especially in formal work settings, and addressing them using the correct honorifics is vital. 

So, here are some important things to keep in mind so you don't find yourself in a socially or professionally awkward situation. 

Do You Need To Add “sama (様)" After Job Titles? 

Adding “sama” after a job title is generally unnecessary since such titles already carry an honorific meaning. So, adding “sama” would be like using a double honorific, which is usually avoided.

That being said, “sama” is often used when addressing clients, customers, or someone in a highly respected position to show extra politeness. For instance, you'll currently hear customers being called “Okyaku-sama (お客様)” in service settings to show the highest level of respect. 

Formal vs. Informal Suffixes

Formal suffixes such as “sama” and “san” are used in most professional contexts. “Sama” is reserved for clients, customers, and people of very high status, while “san” is the go-to suffix for general politeness, similar to Mr. or Mrs. in English.

“San” is respectful without being overly informal, making it perfect for most situations where you don't know just how formal to act. On the other hand, informal suffixes such as “-kun (くん)” and “-chan (ちゃん)” are typically used among close colleagues and friends or when addressing younger employees. 

Therefore, these informal suffixes should generally be avoided in formal work settings if you’re new to Japanese. However, you might still commonly hear them being used in more relaxed, team-based environments, so it ultimately depends on the situation.

The Use of “Dono (殿)”

Another formal title in Japanese is “Dono”, which has a bit of an old-fashioned vibe. You'll mostly see it in writing as it’s not used colloquially. 

“Dono” conveys respect but isn't quite as formal as “sama.” Typically, “dono” is used among people within the same company, often by a superior, when addressing subordinates. It implies a respectful familiarity, showing that while there is recognition of hierarchy, it's not as rigid and has a warmer tone.

That being said, it's important to note that “dono” is quite rare nowadays, and using it incorrectly could come off as awkward or overly stiff. So, if you don’t trust your Japanese skills just yet, refrain from using it until you become more confident with your Japanese.

Is It Rude To Use Job Titles Alone?

The short answer is not at all. In fact, it's very common to just call someone by their job title. 

For instance, calling your Department Chief “Buchou” is totally acceptable and actually pretty normal. If there’s more than one department head around, you can specify by adding their last name before, like “Miyamoto-kachou.” 

Using just the job title is definitely respectful enough, but it's always a good idea to make sure you're using the right suffix when necessary. Especially in more formal settings, it's all about understanding the situation and knowing when to add that extra layer of politeness, so reading the room plays an important role here.

Addressing Superiors in Emails: What Do Japanese Call Their Leaders?

When writing a formal e-mail at work, it's best to use the department name, the job title, and the name in order, or just add “-sama” after the person's name. If you just use “sama,” the job title won’t be necessary.

This approach ensures that you're being respectful without sounding repetitive. When writing emails, especially to someone higher up the ladder, using sama might be a good alternative when you don’t know someone’s title or department well enough.

Common Practice When Speaking

When speaking, it's common to use “last name + job title,” such as “Suzuki Bucho.” Just remember that saying “Buchou Suzuki” is incorrect and should be avoided.

In informal or casual situations among close colleagues, on the other hand, it might be acceptable to drop the titles entirely and just use “san” or even “kun” or “chan” for younger colleagues and peers you’re close with. 

That said, always be cautious about the context and the relationship you have with the person to avoid coming off as disrespectful.

If you need a reminder, our greetings in Japanese and saying sorry in Japanese posts explore the importance of respect in Japanese culture from different angles.

Casual Titles Commonly Used in Japanese Offices: What Do Japanese Call Superiors?

If your workplace is more casual than the traditional Japanese company, here are a few useful casual workplace titles in Japanese:

• Boss (上司, Jyoushi): Generally used to refer to a boss or superior.

• Senior (先輩, Senpai): Refers to a senior colleague or mentor, typically someone who joined the company before you.

• Junior (後輩, kouhai): Junior colleague.

• Colleague (同僚, douryou): Essentially means “people who work in the same workplace”, for referring to your coworkers at the same level as you.

• 同期, Douki: This title can be best translated as “employees who joined at the same time.” This distinction is important in Japanese culture, but it doesn't have a direct equivalent in Western workplaces. 

• Employees (従業員, jyuugyouin): A general term that can be used when referring to company employees.

Whether you're planning to work at a traditional Japanese firm or a modern IT company, having a good grasp of these corporate titles will not only help you navigate the workplace but also show that you understand the culture, which is a key asset in any Japanese business environment. 

If you'd like to learn more about the business environment in Japan, my post on surviving the Japanese workplace culture will give you all the details.