Proof of Employment in Japan: Which Certificate to Request and How to Get It

2026年8月29日

Proof of Employment in Japan: Which Certificate to Request and How to Get It

In Japan, the document you need depends first on whether you still work for the company.

Still employed: ask for a zaishoku shōmeisho (在職証明書), usually translated as a certificate of employment.
Already leaving or have left: ask for a taishoku shōmeisho (退職証明書), or certificate upon retirement.
Applying for unemployment benefits: you normally need a rishokuhyō (離職票), not either certificate above.
Changing health insurance: ask the municipality which proof it accepts; it may require proof that your employee health-insurance coverage ended.

The names sound similar, but the documents are not interchangeable. Requesting the wrong one can delay a rental application, immigration procedure, unemployment claim, or insurance enrollment.

This guide is for foreign workers, students moving into employment, and long-term residents dealing with Japanese paperwork. Information is current as of August 22, 2026, but employers, municipalities, immigration procedures, banks, and property managers may set different document requirements.

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The two certificates serve different moments

A zaishoku shōmeisho proves a current employment relationship; a taishoku shōmeisho records facts about employment after it ends.

Zaishoku shōmeisho: proof that you currently work there

A zaishoku shōmeisho is commonly issued by an employer’s human resources or general affairs department. There is no single national form used by every company.

Depending on its purpose, the certificate may show:

Your full name
Company name and address
Employment start date
Department, position, or type of work
Employment category, such as permanent or fixed-term employee
Salary or annual income, if requested and permitted
Expected employment period for a fixed-term contract
Issue date, company seal, or authorized signature

You may be asked for one when:

Renting an apartment
Applying for a mortgage, loan, or credit-related service
Applying for a nursery place or another municipal service
Completing an immigration procedure
Proving employment to a school, scholarship provider, or overseas authority
Inviting a family member when proof of work or financial support is requested

The recipient decides what counts as acceptable evidence. A property manager may want only your employer and salary, while an immigration checklist may require other company or employment documents.

Taishoku shōmeisho: proof issued when employment ends

A taishoku shōmeisho records specified facts about employment that has ended. Article 22 of Japan’s Labor Standards Act gives a departing worker the right to request a certificate covering certain matters, and the employer must issue it without delay.

The matters covered by Article 22 are:

Period of employment
Type of work performed
Position in the business
Wages
Reason for leaving, including the reason for dismissal when applicable

Crucially, the employer must not add an Article 22 item that the worker did not request. If you need only the employment period and job type, say so clearly. You do not have to request salary or the reason for leaving.

The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare also states that there is no limit on the number of requests. Its guidance explains that the right to request the certificate is subject to a two-year limitation period beginning when the employment ends, so it is safer to obtain the document promptly.

ここがポイント: Ask for the certificate by its purpose and required contents, not by its Japanese name alone. Companies and receiving organizations sometimes use similar names for different forms.

Do not confuse these documents

Leaving a job produces several separate procedures, so one certificate rarely completes everything.

Rishokuhyō for unemployment benefits

A rishokuhyō is associated with employment insurance and Hello Work. It contains information used when applying for unemployment benefits, including information related to the separation and insured employment.

It is not the same as an Article 22 certificate upon retirement. Ministry guidance specifically says that issuing a rishokuhyō does not replace the employer’s duty to issue the requested retirement certificate.

If your goal is to claim unemployment benefits, tell your former employer that you need the employment-insurance separation documents. If the employer does not complete the process despite your request, consult Hello Work.

Rishoku shōmeisho used in the employment-insurance process

The similar term rishoku shōmeisho (離職証明書) can cause extra confusion. In the employment-insurance process, it refers to information submitted for issuance of the rishokuhyō. It is not simply another everyday name for your personal proof-of-employment letter.

When speaking with HR, distinguish these terms:

Taishoku shōmeisho — certificate upon retirement for the worker
Rishoku shōmeisho — separation information used in the employment-insurance process
Rishokuhyō — document normally needed by the former worker for an unemployment-benefit application

Proof that employee health insurance ended

After leaving a job, you may need to join National Health Insurance, become a dependent under another person’s plan, or continue your former coverage where eligible. The supporting document is often proof of loss of employee health-insurance eligibility, commonly called kenkō hoken shikaku sōshitsu shōmeisho (健康保険資格喪失証明書).

A municipality may accept particular alternatives, but practices and document lists can differ. Contact the city or ward office before visiting and ask:

Which proof of coverage termination is accepted
Whether documents are needed for each family member
Whether copies are accepted
What deadline applies to the enrollment procedure

A general retirement certificate may help explain your situation, but do not assume it satisfies the local insurance procedure.

Gensen chōshūhyō for tax records

A gensen chōshūhyō (源泉徴収票), or withholding tax slip, shows employment income and tax withheld. A new employer may need it for year-end adjustment, and you may need it for a tax return.

It serves a tax purpose. It does not replace proof that you are currently employed or the Article 22 certificate issued after retirement.

How to request a zaishoku shōmeisho

Start by obtaining the receiving organization’s requirements, because the employer cannot know which details another institution expects.

1. Ask the recipient for its checklist or form

Before contacting HR, confirm:

Required document name
Required fields
Whether salary must appear
Whether an original is necessary
Acceptable issue date, such as within the last three months
Whether a company seal or handwritten signature is required
Required language
Whether the recipient provides its own template

For immigration matters, use the current checklist for your exact status of residence and procedure. Requirements can differ by status, employer category, application type, and individual circumstances.

2. Send HR a precise written request

A useful request should include:

Your employee number and department
The certificate’s purpose
Every required field
Recipient’s template, if available
Required language
Number of originals
Submission deadline
Collection or delivery method

You can write:

Zaishoku shōmeisho no hakkō o onegai shimasu. Teishutsusaki wa ___ desu. Kinyū hitsuyō kōmoku wa ___ desu. ___ made ni hitsuyō desu.

Please issue a certificate of employment. It will be submitted to . The required fields are . I need it by ___.

Do not request unnecessary personal information. For example, if a landlord needs employment status but not salary, leaving salary off the certificate limits how much sensitive information circulates.

3. Check the completed certificate immediately

Compare the document with your passport, residence card, contract, and the recipient’s checklist. Check especially:

Spelling and order of your name
Start date
Employment category
Salary period—monthly or annual, gross or net
Company address and legal name
Issue date
Signature or seal requirements

A small mismatch can matter when two systems record foreign names differently. If you use an alias or a shortened workplace name, ask which name should appear and whether both can be shown.

How to request a taishoku shōmeisho

Specify only the Article 22 matters you actually need and keep a record of the request.

Send the request to HR or the person responsible for payroll and personnel matters. Include your former employee number, employment dates, current contact details, and preferred delivery method.

A simple written request is:

Rōdō Kijun Hō dai 22-jō ni motozuku taishoku shōmeisho o onegai shimasu. Shōmei o kibō suru jikō wa, shiyō kikan to gyōmu no shurui desu.

Please issue a certificate upon retirement under Article 22 of the Labor Standards Act. I request certification of my employment period and type of work.

If relevant, add the other matters you need: position, wages, or reason for leaving. Avoid asking for every available item automatically.

The Ministry’s guidance says the certificate must be issued without delay, but it does not convert that phrase into one universal number of business days. Give HR a reasonable deadline based on the receiving organization’s schedule, then follow up in writing if the document does not arrive.

Costs, timing, and format

There is no single nationwide fee, processing time, or template for an ordinary certificate of current employment.

Before ordering multiple copies, ask the employer about:

Processing time
Any internal administrative charge
Paper, PDF, or both
Japanese or bilingual issuance
Postal costs
Whether an electronic seal or signature is accepted
How to request another copy later

A self-made English translation may be useful for understanding the document, but the recipient may require an official translation, translator’s declaration, or original Japanese document. Confirm before paying for translation.

For an Article 22 retirement certificate, the legal focus is the employer’s duty to certify requested facts without delay. If a former employer introduces a fee or condition that prevents issuance, seek advice from a Labour Standards Inspection Office rather than assuming the demand is valid.

Foreign residents should check immigration duties separately

An employment certificate does not itself complete a job-change notification or prove that every new job fits your status of residence.

Certain mid- to long-term residents with work-related or student statuses must notify the Immigration Services Agency within 14 days when they leave or join an affiliated organization. The exact duty depends on the status of residence and the type of affiliation.

After changing or leaving a job:

Check whether a notification concerning your affiliated organization is required.
Confirm that the new work is permitted under your current status of residence.
Use the current Immigration Services Agency checklist for extensions or changes of status.
Keep your contract, certificates, payslips, tax records, and copies of submitted notifications.

Permanent residents and people with status-based residence categories face different work restrictions and notification rules from holders of activity-based work statuses. Do not rely on a colleague’s experience unless their status and situation are the same.

Common mistakes that cause delays

Most problems come from asking for a document name without checking its required contents.

Avoid these mistakes:

Asking HR for “proof of work” without providing the recipient’s checklist
Assuming a payslip always replaces a certificate
Using a taishoku shōmeisho for an unemployment-benefit claim that requires a rishokuhyō
Assuming a rishokuhyō replaces the Article 22 retirement certificate
Requesting the reason for leaving when the recipient does not need it
Discovering too late that an original, recent issue date, seal, or translation is required
Using a retirement certificate for National Health Insurance without checking the municipality’s accepted documents
Forgetting a separate immigration notification after changing employers
Failing to retain scans of documents before submitting originals

Another frequent problem is inconsistent naming. If your passport, residence card, bank account, and employer records display your name differently, raise the issue before the certificate is printed.

What to do if the employer refuses or delays

The next step depends on whether you are requesting a routine current-employment letter or the statutory certificate after retirement.

For a zaishoku shōmeisho, first ask whether the employer can use the recipient’s form or provide alternative evidence. The recipient may accept an employment contract, recent payslips, tax record, or another employer-issued document, but only that recipient can confirm this.

For an Article 22 certificate after retirement:

Make a dated written request.
List only the matters you want certified.
Keep the email, postal receipt, and any reply.
Follow up with a clear deadline.
If it is still not issued, consult a Labour Standards Inspection Office.

The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare provides consultation services for foreign workers and a multilingual Labour Standards Advice Hotline. Current languages, operating days, and telephone numbers should be checked on the official page before calling.

If the missing document concerns unemployment insurance, contact Hello Work. If it concerns residence procedures, contact the Immigration Services Agency or a qualified immigration professional. These offices handle different systems, so choosing the correct contact matters.

A practical leaving-job document checklist

Before your final working day, ask HR which documents will be sent automatically and which require a request.

Your checklist may include:

Taishoku shōmeisho — requested proof of employment facts after leaving
Rishokuhyō — for an unemployment-benefit application when applicable
Gensen chōshūhyō — withholding tax slip
Proof that employee health-insurance eligibility ended
Pension-related information where applicable
Final payslip and explanation of outstanding payments or deductions
Return instructions for company property and any health-insurance eligibility document

Save electronic copies and record when each original was sent. If you are moving at the same time, give HR an address that will remain reachable.

The most useful action is simple: ask the organization receiving the certificate for its exact requirements, then send those requirements to HR in writing. When leaving a job, request each insurance, tax, unemployment, immigration, and employment document separately; similar Japanese names do not mean the documents perform the same function.

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