You have received a Japanese email after an interview, but does it mean you got the job? Find the decision word first: 通過 usually means you move to another selection step, 内定 is an offer, and 見送り means this application will not proceed. If the message only says the result will come later, check its stated date before following up.
Words in a selection result message
| Japanese | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 選考結果 | senkō kekka | Selection result; the subject line alone does not reveal the outcome. |
| 書類選考を通過しました | shorui senkō o tsūka shimashita | You passed the document screening; the next step may be an interview. |
| 一次面接を通過しました | ichiji mensetsu o tsūka shimashita | You passed the first interview, not necessarily the entire hiring process. |
| 次回選考へお進みください | jikai senkō e o-susumi kudasai | Proceed to the next selection stage. |
| 内定・採用 | naitei / saiyō | Job offer / hiring; read the conditions and reply deadline carefully. |
| 今回は採用を見送らせていただきます | konkai wa saiyō o miokurasete itadakimasu | We will not hire you this time; a polite rejection. |
| ご期待に添えない結果 | go-kitai ni soenai kekka | A result that does not meet your hopes; commonly a rejection. |
| 選考中・検討中 | senkō-chū / kentō-chū | Still under review; no final result yet. |
| 追ってご連絡いたします | otte go-renraku itashimasu | We will contact you later; it is not itself a decision. |
| 選考結果通知 | senkō kekka tsūchi | Notice of selection result, often shown on job listings as a timing or method field. |
What to do with each result
You passed a stage
Read the next instruction: a request for available dates, an online interview link, a document deadline or a test. Passing 一次面接 does not mean the position is yours. If you need to arrange the next meeting, use our interview invitation email guide.
A short reply when asked for availability:
選考結果のご連絡をいただき、ありがとうございます。
次回面接につきまして、以下の日程で調整可能です。
・10月8日（木）14時以降
・10月9日（金）10時〜12時
どうぞよろしくお願いいたします。
［氏名］
Replace the example dates with real dates, check their weekdays, and use the channel specified by the recruiter.
You received an offer
Check the response deadline and the actual terms before accepting. A message saying only that you passed an interview may still lead to another stage. Our job offer email guide explains the difference between 内定, a request for a reply, and the written working conditions. Hello Work also tells employers to present an employment contract or a notice of working conditions to hired applicants in its selection result guidance.
Your application was declined
A phrase such as 「慎重に選考いたしました結果、今回はご期待に添いかねる結果となりました」 is a polite way to say no. You generally do not need to reply to an automated rejection or a message marked 「返信不要」. If a person wrote to you and you want to acknowledge it, keep it brief:
選考結果のご連絡をいただき、ありがとうございます。
面接の機会をいただきましたこと、御礼申し上げます。
貴社のますますのご発展をお祈り申し上げます。
［氏名］
Do not assume that silence means rejection. The employer may still be reviewing candidates, or a message may have gone to a hiring platform or spam folder.
When no result arrives
- Check the date the recruiter promised, your spam folder, and the application platform. If the listing is on Hello Work, look for its 「選考結果通知」 timing and contact method rather than applying a universal waiting period.
- Once the stated date has passed, send one courteous inquiry through the existing thread or platform. Include your name, role and interview date. If no date was given, ask the recruiter when to expect an update; avoid claiming there is a fixed legal deadline for every employer.
- If your circumstances have changed or another offer has a deadline, state that deadline plainly and ask whether an update is possible. The employer may not be able to decide by then.
お世話になっております。［氏名］と申します。
［日付］に［職種］の面接の機会をいただき、ありがとうございました。
選考結果につきまして、現在の状況をお伺いできますでしょうか。
お忙しいところ恐れ入りますが、よろしくお願いいたします。
Hello Work notes that applicants sometimes report no contact even after the number of days stated on a listing has passed; its guidance to employers is a useful reminder to check the listing’s own timeline. For Hello Work applications, the applicant account may also show messages and selection results. Other employers use email, phone or their own portal. Keep a record of the date, channel and reply. To see how this stage fits between application, written conditions and onboarding, return to our Working in Japan guide.
