You paid for a train ride to a client meeting or bought an approved item for work. Your company asks you to submit 経費精算, but the form has fields such as 立替, 用途 and 証憑. First confirm the purchase was allowed, keep the receipt or fare record, and enter the actual date, amount and business purpose. Then check the approval status until the reimbursement is complete.
Japanese expense claim words
| Japanese | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 経費精算 | keihi seisan | Business expense claim or reimbursement |
| 立替／立替払い | tatekae / tatekae-barai | Paid personally on behalf of the company |
| 事前申請 | jizen shinsei | Approval request before spending |
| 申請日／利用日 | shinsei-bi / riyō-bi | Claim submission date / date the cost was incurred |
| 用途／利用目的 | yōto / riyō mokuteki | Business purpose |
| 金額／税込金額 | kingaku / zeikomi kingaku | Amount / amount including tax |
| 領収書／レシート | ryōshūsho / reshīto | Receipt |
| 証憑／添付 | shōhyō / tenpu | Supporting document / attachment |
| 旅費交通費 | ryohi kōtsūhi | Business travel expense category |
| 区間／経路 | kukan / keiro | Travel segment / route |
| 申請中／承認済み | shinsei-chū / shōnin-zumi | Pending / approved |
| 差戻し／却下 | sashimodoshi / kyakka | Returned for correction / rejected |
| 精算日／振込日 | seisan-bi / furikomi-bi | Settlement date / transfer date |
Before you pay: check the company rule
Ask whether the item, travel or meal needs 事前申請, a spending limit, or a company payment method. A personal purchase for your own use is not automatically a reimbursable business expense. The required evidence, deadline, approver and reimbursement date vary by employer. Keep business-trip travel separate from your routine commute: our commuting allowance guide explains the home-to-work route form.
Submit a typical claim
- Choose the category. A work trip may use 旅費交通費, while a purchased item may use a supplies category. Ask accounting if the category is unclear.
- Enter the actual transaction. Use the date, amount, payee and a specific purpose, such as “Client meeting in Yokohama: train fare from A Station to B Station.” Avoid a vague entry like “transport.”
- Attach the evidence. Photograph the full receipt clearly or upload the electronic receipt or fare record permitted by the company. Check that the date, seller and amount are legible. Retain the original if your employer asks for it.
- Submit and track. Look for 申請中 and later 承認済み. A 差戻し means read the comment, correct the claim and resubmit; 却下 may require a fresh discussion with your manager.
- Confirm reimbursement. Approval and actual payment are separate steps. Check the company’s stated payment date and the relevant deposit or payroll entry.
As a product example, freee’s official expense app guide shows receipt capture, attachment and approval. Your workplace’s app may use different screens, and its settings determine which fields are required.
Two sample entries
Work travel: “利用日：10月8日／用途：顧客訪問／区間：A駅–B駅／金額：実際の運賃.” Use the actual route and fare. If you used a commuter pass for part of the route, ask whether only the extra portion is claimable under your company’s rule.
Approved supplies: “利用日：10月9日／用途：研修用の文具／金額：レシート記載額／証憑：レシート添付.” Keep the item description specific enough for the approver to understand why it was needed.
Receipts and tax labels: an important distinction
Whether the company accepts your claim and whether a document meets a tax rule are different questions. For Japan’s invoice system, the National Tax Agency’s invoice guide explains that some eligible retailers, restaurants and taxis can issue a simplified invoice without the buyer’s name. Therefore a receipt without your company’s name is not automatically invalid; ask accounting what evidence it needs for this transaction. Do not add or alter details on a receipt yourself.
Useful phrases for a manager or accounting team
- この購入は事前申請が必要ですか。
Kono kōnyū wa jizen shinsei ga hitsuyō desu ka.
Does this purchase need prior approval? - 領収書を添付して経費精算を申請しました。
Ryōshūsho o tenpu shite keihi seisan o shinsei shimashita.
I submitted the expense claim with the receipt attached. - 差戻しの理由と修正する項目を教えていただけますか。
Sashimodoshi no riyū to shūsei suru kōmoku o oshiete itadakemasu ka.
Could you tell me why it was returned and what I should correct? - 承認後の振込予定日を確認したいです。
Shōnin-go no furikomi yotei-bi o kakunin shitai desu.
I’d like to confirm the expected payment date after approval.
If a reimbursement appears on your payslip, our Japanese payslip guide helps you identify the line. Keep the expense claim’s confirmation and receipt until you have checked the payment.
