You have started a job in Japan, but the office door needs a card and you are not sure whether your 社員証 (employee ID) is also your 入館証 (building pass). Ask your workplace which card opens which entrance, where to collect it, and whom to contact if it is missing. A temporary visitor pass is often handled separately, so follow the building’s instructions rather than trying another person’s card.
Words on the card notice or handover form
| Japanese | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 社員証 | shain-shō | Employee ID card; may or may not work at doors. |
| 入館証・入館カード | nyūkan-shō / nyūkan kādo | Building entry pass / access card. |
| 仮入館証・来客用 | kari-nyūkan-shō / raikyaku-yō | Temporary entry pass / visitor use. |
| 受取・貸与 | uketori / taiyo | Receipt / loaned by the employer; a loaned item may have to be returned. |
| 受領確認・署名 | juryō kakunin / shomei | Confirmation of receipt / signature. |
| 有効期限・更新 | yūkō kigen / kōshin | Expiration date / renewal. |
| 利用可能エリア | riyō kanō eria | Areas you are allowed to access. |
| 紛失・盗難 | funshitsu / tōnan | Loss / theft; report promptly through the company route. |
| 再発行・返却 | sai-hakkō / henkyaku | Reissue / return. |
| 入退館記録 | nyūtaikan kiroku | Entry and exit log; this is different from a payroll time record unless your employer says they are linked. |
When your card has not arrived
- Check your first-day instructions for the meeting point, reception and contact person. Some workplaces issue the card after orientation.
- At reception, give your name, employer and contact person. Ask whether you need a temporary pass and where it must be returned.
- Ask HR or facilities which card is your ID and which opens doors, including any separate building or floor access. Do not assume a badge printed with your name grants access everywhere.
本日から勤務する［氏名］です。社員証はまだ受け取っていません。入館方法を教えていただけますか。
I start work today and have not received my employee card. Could you tell me how to enter?
If you sign a receipt, check the card number, number of items and any return instructions on the form. If a pass is provided by a building operator rather than your employer, the issuing desk and return route may differ.
If a card does not work, is lost, or is found
For a card that fails, contact reception or the named facilities desk. State the entrance and time; a card can be unissued, expired or lacking access to that area. The reader’s colors and sounds depend on the installed system, so use the site’s own instructions.
入館カードをかざしても扉が開きません。［入口名］におります。確認をお願いできますか。
My entry card is not opening the door. I am at [entrance]. Could you check it?
If you think you lost the card, report it promptly to the workplace contact so they can handle access and replacement under their policy. Do not wait to see whether it turns up at home. Give the last place and approximate time you had it, without sending card numbers to an unverified contact. The Information-technology Promotion Agency’s guidance describes why organizations define and communicate an initial reporting route for security incidents; your employer’s route is the one to follow.
入館証を紛失した可能性があります。最後に確認したのは本日［時刻］頃、［場所］です。必要な手続きを教えてください。
I may have lost my building pass. I last saw it around [time] at [place]. Please tell me the required steps.
If you find someone else’s card, hand it to reception or the designated office rather than testing it. Do not lend your own card or let another person use it to bypass a controlled entrance.
Before you leave the job
Check the departure checklist for 「社員証返却」「入館証返却」 and ask where and when to return each item. Some workplaces also require a lanyard, key or visitor pass back. The IPA guidance on organizational access and asset management discusses returning access passes and removing access when a person leaves. Our leaving-job documents guide covers the separate papers you may need afterward.
An entry log is not automatically your paid work time. If you need to correct a missed clock-in, use your workplace’s process and our time clock app guide for common labels. Ask HR how your workplace records time rather than treating door access as a timesheet. For the documents around your arrival, return to our new employee forms guide.
