Certificate of Resignation in Japan: How It Differs From the Separation Notice and How to Request One

A certificate of resignation (taishoku shomeisho) is a document that an employer is obliged to issue when a former employee requests it. It is distinct from the separation notice (rishokuhyo), which Hello Work is involved in issuing: the two come from different places and serve different purposes.

This article sets out when you need a certificate of resignation and how to go about requesting one.

Employers Are Obliged to Issue It

The Labor Standards Act requires an employer to issue a certificate without delay where a former employee requests one. In other words, issuing it is not at the employer's discretion; there is an obligation to respond when asked. You can request one even some time after leaving, provided you are within the applicable period.

How It Differs From the Separation Notice

The two are easily confused, but their roles are entirely different.

• Certificate of resignation: Issued directly by the employer. It certifies that you were employed there, and there is no prescribed form.
• Separation notice: The employer files with Hello Work, and you receive what is issued. It is used to claim unemployment benefits.

In short: the separation notice for unemployment benefits, the certificate of resignation for everything else that requires proof you left.

When You Will Need One

1. Your new employer asks for it: To confirm your period of employment and the fact that you left. Usually the point is to check that you formally resigned from your previous job.
2. Switching to National Health Insurance or the National Pension: Where the separation notice will not arrive in time, it can serve as proof of your leaving date.
3. Confirming nursery eligibility: Municipalities sometimes require it when you notify them of a change in your employment situation.
4. Mortgage and similar screening: It may be requested as evidence of your employment history at a previous employer.

What It Contains, and What It Must Not

Five items may be recorded: the period of employment, the type of work, your position within the business, your wages, and the reason for leaving (including the grounds, where the departure was a dismissal). What matters here is that an employer cannot include items you did not request.

So if you would rather your reason for leaving were not stated, you can request a certificate covering only your period of employment and the type of work. When submitting it to a new employer, narrowing it to the items actually needed is the safer approach.

Prohibited Content

Entries intended to obstruct a former employee's re-employment are prohibited. Specifically, an employer may not record nationality, creed, social status, or matters relating to trade union activity. If a certificate you receive contains anything of this kind, you can ask for it to be removed.

How to Request One

1. Contact the HR department at your former employer and say that you need a certificate of resignation
2. Specify exactly which items you need recorded, and by when
3. On receipt, check the contents and confirm the company seal is present

Even where you did not part on good terms, issuing the certificate is a statutory obligation, so make the request in a form that leaves a record, such as email. If your employer will not respond, you can consult the Labour Standards Inspection Office.

Common Questions About Certificates of Resignation

Can I request one however many years have passed?

There is a limit on how long the right to request lasts. If you expect to need one, obtaining it shortly after you leave is the reliable course. The more time passes, the more likely it is that the person handling it has changed and the process becomes cumbersome.

My new employer wants one, but I would rather not disclose why I left.

Because the recorded items are limited to what you request, you can have the certificate issued without the reason for leaving. If your new employer specifically asks for that item, it is worth asking first what they are trying to verify.

Can I get one while still employed?

A certificate of resignation is a post-departure document. If you need to prove current employment, that is a certificate of employment, which carries no statutory issuing obligation and depends on your employer's willingness.

Summary: Request Only the Items You Need

A certificate of resignation is a document your employer must issue on request. It is distinct from the separation notice used for unemployment benefits, and is used for submission to a new employer and for public administrative procedures. Since only the items you request are recorded, narrow the scope to suit your purpose when you ask.

This article sets out general principles under Japanese law. For the period during which a request can be made and for specific procedures, check with the Labour Standards Inspection Office or a qualified professional such as a certified social insurance and labour consultant.