Japanese Business Glossary

廃棄 (haiki) is a Japanese term that translates to "disposal" or "discard" in English. It refers to the process of getting rid of or throwing away items that are no longer needed or useful.

In a business context, haiki can involve the disposal of various items such as waste materials, outdated equipment, defective products, or any assets that are no longer of value to the company. Proper haiki practices are important for maintaining compliance with environmental regulations and for ensuring efficient and responsible management of resources.

既往 (kio) is a Japanese term that translates to "past" or "previous" in English. It is often used in medical, legal, and business contexts to refer to prior events, conditions, or experiences.

In a medical context, kio can refer to a patient's medical history or previous illnesses. In a legal or business context, it can pertain to past agreements, transactions, or historical data.

郵便振替 (yubin furikae) is a Japanese term that translates to "postal transfer" or "postal remittance" in English. It refers to a service provided by Japan Post that allows individuals and businesses to transfer funds between postal savings accounts or make payments through the postal network.

This service is commonly used for paying bills, such as utilities, taxes, and insurance premiums, as well as for transferring money between individuals or organizations. The convenience and wide accessibility of yubin furikae make it a popular option for financial transactions in Japan.

個人年金保険 (kojin nenkin hoken) refers to individual annuity insurance in Japan. This type of insurance policy is designed to provide a steady stream of income to individuals after they retire.

Policyholders make regular premium payments during their working years, and in return, the insurance company agrees to pay out a fixed amount of money at regular intervals after the policyholder reaches a certain age, typically retirement age. These payments can be structured to continue for a specific period or for the remainder of the policyholder’s life.

Individual annuity insurance is a way for people to ensure they have a reliable income during retirement, supplementing public pension systems like the national pension (国民年金, kokumin nenkin) and employees' pension insurance (厚生年金, kosei nenkin). It helps individuals plan for financial stability in their later years, covering living expenses, medical costs, and other needs. This type of insurance is particularly important in a country like Japan, where the population is aging, and there is a growing need for retirement planning and financial security for the elderly.

常時 (joji) is a Japanese term that translates to "always," "constantly," or "at all times" in English. It is used to describe something that happens continuously or is maintained without interruption.

In a business or technical context, 常時 might refer to operations or systems that are continuously running or monitored. For example, 常時監視 (joji kanshi) means "continuous monitoring," indicating that a system or process is being observed and managed at all times to ensure its proper functioning.

石油 (sekiyu) is a Japanese term that translates to "petroleum" or "crude oil" in English. It refers to the naturally occurring liquid found in geological formations beneath the Earth's surface. Petroleum is a fossil fuel that is extracted and refined into various products such as gasoline, diesel, kerosene, and other petrochemicals used in the production of plastics, fertilizers, and numerous other industrial products.

Petroleum is a critical resource for the global economy, serving as a primary source of energy for transportation, heating, electricity generation, and industrial processes. The extraction, processing, and use of petroleum have significant economic, environmental, and geopolitical implications.