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How to translate Japanese messages: writing to a Japanese client

More and more companies in textiles, machinery and food work with Japan, and the conversation usually happens on WhatsApp, LINE or email. You can do it without speaking Japanese, but Japanese is built very differently from English and translation trips up in a few predictable places. Writing your message so it translates well is half the deal.

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Why Japanese trips up translation

Japanese often leaves out the subject of a sentence; who is doing what is understood from context. Translation fills the gap with a guess and sometimes says “you” instead of “we”, or “I” instead of “they”.

The second difficulty is politeness. Japanese has levels of politeness that change with the person you address, and business writing uses the most polite forms. The third is the script: three writing systems appear side by side in the same text. So when you translate an incoming message you get the meaning, but not always the tone.

Writing English that translates well

A few habits noticeably improve the accuracy of the Japanese you send:

  • Name the subject: not “Shipping Friday” but “We will ship the fabric on Friday.”
  • Keep sentences short, one topic each.
  • Avoid idioms and jokes: “let's close the deal” becomes “let's confirm the order”.
  • Write product codes, measurements and quantities in digits.
  • Number the key points: 1. colour, 2. quantity, 3. delivery date.

The formulas of Japanese business messages

Japanese business messages usually open with a thank-you formula and close with a request formula. Translated literally, the opening comes out as something like “thank you for your continued support”; the closing “yoroshiku onegaishimasu” is close to “we look forward to working with you”. When you see these in a message, don't find them odd: they are greetings and courtesy.

Starting your own message with a short thank-you and ending with “We look forward to working with you” translates into a polite opening and close. Your Japanese counterpart will notice.

Numbers, dates and units

Numbers are where Japanese messages need the most care:

  • Dates are written year, month, day: 2026/10/18. Don't mix up the day and month.
  • Large numbers are counted in units of ten thousand: “3 man” is 30,000. Translation usually handles it, but ask for critical figures such as prices and quantities in digits.
  • The yen has no decimal subunit in everyday use; ¥1,200 is one thousand two hundred yen.
  • Measurements are metric; fabric weight is in g/m² and width in centimetres.

Technical exchanges such as textiles

Technical terms are the words that drift most in translation. Keep the fabric name in plain, standard English (“cotton poplin”, not a house nickname); standard English terms are widely known on the Japanese side too. Give colours by code (a Pantone number, for example) rather than by name, and attach a sample photo when you can.

Repeat the order at the end of the conversation as a short list: product, colour, quantity, price, delivery date. If the other side confirms the list, both of you have understood the same thing.

Reading the reply correctly

A flat “no” is rare in Japanese business culture. Replies that translate as “we will consider it” or “that may be difficult” often, though not always, mean a polite refusal. When you get one, follow up with a clear question: “Can you order at this price, or shall we prepare a new quote?”

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