Business Japanese Self-Introduction: Scripts & Phrases

What to say in a business Japanese self-introduction

A strong business Japanese self introduction should be short, polite, and easy to understand. In most professional situations, you only need four parts: a greeting, your name and company, your role or reason for joining, and a polite closing.

A reliable full version is:

はじめまして。ABC社の山田と申します。営業を担当しております。どうぞよろしくお願いいたします。
Hajimemashite. ABC-sha no Yamada to mōshimasu. Eigyō o tantō shite orimasu. Dōzo yoroshiku onegai itashimasu.
Nice to meet you. I am Yamada from ABC Company. I am in charge of sales. I look forward to working with you.

This works well in client meetings, first internal meetings, vendor calls, and formal online introductions. It is polite without being too long.

For a slightly softer internal version, you can say:

はじめまして。ABC社の山田です。営業部にいます。よろしくお願いします。
Hajimemashite. ABC-sha no Yamada desu. Eigyō-bu ni imasu. Yoroshiku onegai shimasu.
Nice to meet you. I’m Yamada from ABC Company. I’m in the sales department. Nice to meet you.

Use the first version when meeting clients, senior people, interviewers, or external partners. Use the second version when the atmosphere is clearly less formal.

Core phrase table

Use these phrases as building blocks. Choose only the lines that fit the situation; a business introduction should not become a personal speech.

The key difference is tone. です (desu, “am/is”) is polite, but と申します (to mōshimasu, “I am called”) sounds more polished for first business meetings.

Ready-to-use scripts by situation

Adapt these scripts by replacing the company name, name, department, and role. Keep the structure simple, especially if you are introducing yourself in Japanese during a live meeting.

If you are preparing for an interview, practice the opening until it feels calm and automatic. If you are preparing for client work, focus more on your company, role, and the purpose of the meeting.

Etiquette that changes the impression

Say your company first, then your name, in many business contexts: ABC社の山田と申します (ABC-sha no Yamada to mōshimasu, “I am Yamada from ABC Company”). This helps the listener place you professionally before they focus on your personal name.

A small bow is natural when introducing yourself, even online. On video calls, a slight nod while saying はじめまして (Hajimemashite, “Nice to meet you”) is enough. In person, your introduction may happen together with business card exchange, so it is worth learning Japanese business card etiquette before a client visit.

Avoid hobby-style details unless someone asks. 私の趣味は映画です (Watashi no shumi wa eiga desu, “My hobby is movies”) is fine in casual class introductions, but it usually feels out of place at the start of a business meeting. For relaxed social situations, use a different style; this guide to casual Japanese phrases for making friends is better for non-business introductions.

If you make a mistake in a meeting, do not panic. A simple correction and polite apology can repair the moment. For that situation, study how to apologize in business Japanese separately.

Example sentences in context

本日は新しいプロジェクトの件で参加しております。
Honjitsu wa atarashii purojekuto no ken de sanka shite orimasu.
I am joining today regarding the new project.

ABC社でマーケティングを担当しております。
ABC-sha de māketingu o tantō shite orimasu.
I am in charge of marketing at ABC Company.

まだ日本語を勉強中ですが、どうぞよろしくお願いいたします。
Mada Nihongo o benkyō-chū desu ga, dōzo yoroshiku onegai itashimasu.
I am still studying Japanese, but I look forward to working with you.

本日はお時間をいただき、ありがとうございます。
Honjitsu wa ojikan o itadaki, arigatō gozaimasu.
Thank you for your time today.

Keep the sentences short. In business Japanese, clear and polite is usually better than impressive and complicated.

Practice exercise

Build your own introduction by filling in the blanks.

1. はじめまして。＿＿＿社の＿＿＿と申します。
   Hajimemashite. ___-sha no ___ to mōshimasu.
   Nice to meet you. I am ___ from ___ Company.
2. ＿＿＿を担当しております。
   ___ o tantō shite orimasu.
   I am in charge of ___.
3. 本日は＿＿＿のために参加しております。
   Honjitsu wa ___ no tame ni sanka shite orimasu.
   I am joining today for ___.
4. どうぞよろしくお願いいたします。
   Dōzo yoroshiku onegai itashimasu.
   I look forward to working with you.

Example answer:

はじめまして。ABC社のスミスと申します。マーケティングを担当しております。本日は打ち合わせのために参加しております。どうぞよろしくお願いいたします。
Hajimemashite. ABC-sha no Sumisu to mōshimasu. Māketingu o tantō shite orimasu. Honjitsu wa uchiawase no tame ni sanka shite orimasu. Dōzo yoroshiku onegai itashimasu.
Nice to meet you. I am Smith from ABC Company. I am in charge of marketing. I am joining today for the meeting. I look forward to working with you.

To practice this exact script with correction from a teacher over LINE, book a Free Trial Japanese lesson.

Common mistakes

Learners often translate directly from English and say 私は山田です (Watashi wa Yamada desu, “I am Yamada”) as the whole introduction. It is grammatically correct, but in a first business meeting, ABC社の山田と申します (ABC-sha no Yamada to mōshimasu, “I am Yamada from ABC Company”) sounds more professional.

Another common issue is mixing levels of formality. For example, どうぞよろしくお願いいたします (Dōzo yoroshiku onegai itashimasu, “I look forward to working with you”) sounds formal, but よろしく (Yoroshiku, “Regards/Nice to meet you”) alone sounds too casual for most business settings.

Do not over-explain your background at the beginning. Your introduction is not a resume. Say your name, company, role, and purpose. Save details such as career history, hobbies, or study background for when someone asks.

Pronunciation also matters. Speak slowly enough for the listener to catch your company name and personal name. If you are deciding whether live correction is useful for this kind of practice, this article on whether Japanese lessons are worth paying for explains when teacher feedback gives the most value.

FAQ

Is です enough for a business Japanese self introduction?

です (desu, “am/is”) is polite and can work in internal or relaxed business settings. For a first meeting with clients, interviewers, or senior people, と申します (to mōshimasu, “I am called”) is safer and more polished. Compare 山田です (Yamada desu, “I’m Yamada”) with 山田と申します (Yamada to mōshimasu, “My name is Yamada”).

Should I use my family name or full name?

In Japanese business settings, family name is often enough after your company name: ABC社の山田と申します (ABC-sha no Yamada to mōshimasu, “I am Yamada from ABC Company”). In interviews or formal first introductions, full name is also natural: 山田太郎と申します (Yamada Tarō to mōshimasu, “My name is Taro Yamada”).

Can I use the same script in an interview?

Yes, but adjust the purpose line. In an interview, 本日は面接の機会をいただき、ありがとうございます (Honjitsu wa mensetsu no kikai o itadaki, arigatō gozaimasu, “Thank you for the interview opportunity today”) is more appropriate than a meeting-purpose sentence. Keep the opening formal, grateful, and brief before answering interview questions.

What if my company name is hard to pronounce in Japanese?

Say it slowly and consistently. If there is an official Japanese reading, use that. If not, use a clear katakana-style pronunciation and pair it with 社 (sha, “company”) when appropriate, as in ABC社 (ABC-sha, “ABC Company”). Clear rhythm matters more than speed, especially in online meetings.

This standalone guide is part of the Kind Japanese beginner-friendly business Japanese resources for learners preparing to use Japanese in real professional situations.