Japanese Business Glossary

出張 (shuccho) means "business trip" or "official trip" in Japanese. It refers to travel undertaken for work purposes, typically involving employees traveling to different locations, either domestically or internationally, to perform job-related tasks, attend meetings, or participate in conferences and events.

During shuccho, employees may engage in various activities such as meeting clients, conducting site visits, or representing their company at industry events. The term highlights the official nature of the travel, distinguishing it from personal or leisure travel.

株式併合 (kabushiki heigo) refers to a "reverse stock split" or "reverse share split" in Japanese. This is a corporate action in which a company reduces the number of its outstanding shares by merging multiple existing shares into a smaller number of new shares.

For example, in a 1-for-2 reverse stock split, shareholders would receive one new share for every two shares they previously held. While the total number of shares decreases, the overall value of the shares remains the same, resulting in an increase in the share price.

Companies might undertake kabushiki heigo to increase the stock price, meet stock exchange listing requirements, or reduce the number of shareholders.

元帳 (gencho) refers to the "general ledger" in accounting. It is a comprehensive record-keeping book that contains all the financial transactions of a company, organized by accounts. The general ledger is a central component of the accounting system and includes detailed information on assets, liabilities, equity, revenues, and expenses.

Entries in the gencho are derived from subsidiary ledgers and journals, ensuring that all financial data is accurately tracked and reported. Maintaining an accurate and up-to-date gencho is essential for preparing financial statements, conducting audits, and managing the financial health of a business.

破産宣告 (hasan senkoku) refers to a "bankruptcy declaration" or "bankruptcy adjudication" in Japanese. It is a legal process whereby a court formally declares an individual or business insolvent, meaning they are unable to pay their debts.

The process of hasan senkoku involves the court determining that the debtor's financial situation is beyond recovery and officially recognizing their bankruptcy status. Once declared bankrupt, the debtor's assets are typically liquidated to repay creditors to the extent possible. This declaration also provides legal protection to the debtor from further collection efforts by creditors.

人事院 (jinjiin) refers to the National Personnel Authority in Japan. It is a government agency responsible for overseeing and managing the civil service system, including the recruitment, training, evaluation, and promotion of government employees.

The primary functions of jinjiin include ensuring fair and merit-based hiring practices for civil servants, establishing and enforcing standards for working conditions, salaries, and benefits, conducting training and development programs to improve the skills and performance of public employees, handling grievances and disciplinary actions within the civil service, and advising the government on personnel policies and practices.

売上債権 (uriage saiken) refers to "accounts receivable" or "sales receivables" in Japanese. It represents the money that a business is owed by its customers for goods or services that have been delivered or provided but not yet paid for.

In accounting, uriage saiken is recorded as an asset on the balance sheet because it is expected to be converted into cash in the future. Managing accounts receivable is essential for maintaining cash flow and ensuring that the business can meet its financial obligations.