Japanese Business Glossary

都民共済 (tomin kyosai), Metropolitan Residents' Cooperative Insurance, is a cooperative insurance organization based in Tokyo, Japan. It was established in March 1983 and operates under the authorization of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government. Tomin Kyosai provides a variety of insurance services to its members, including medical insurance, personal accident coverage, and third-party liability insurance. They offer affordable premiums and comprehensive plans, including specialized coverage for children that encompasses medical expenses, disability, death, and liability for damages caused to third parties.

Furthermore, tomin kyosai includes bicycle insurance, addressing the increasing number of bicycle accidents and claims. This insurance can provide up to 300 million yen in coverage for personal liability per incident.

長辺とじ (chouhen-toji) and 短辺とじ (tanpen-toji) refer to binding styles used for documents and printed materials in Japan.

長辺とじ means "long-edge binding." This method binds the longer side of a document, which results in pages that turn like a calendar or a book with a wide layout.

短辺とじ means "short-edge binding." This method binds the shorter side of a document, resulting in pages that turn like a notebook or a book with a tall, narrow layout.

These terms are often used when specifying how you want your documents to be bound, whether for personal or business purposes.

宿直 (shukuchoku) refers to the practice of staying overnight at one's workplace or assigned location, often for the purpose of being on call or available for emergencies. This can be common in various professions such as healthcare, security, or facility management.

In Japan, shukuchoku may involve an employee staying at their place of work, sleeping on-site, and being ready to respond to any issues or emergencies that arise during the night. The practice ensures that there is always someone available to handle urgent matters outside of regular working hours.

災害 (saigai) means "disaster" in Japanese. This term encompasses various natural and man-made events that cause significant damage and disruption. Examples of saigai include earthquakes, tsunamis, typhoons, floods, landslides, and industrial accidents.

一般管理費 (ippan kanri-hi) refers to "general administrative expenses" or "general and administrative (G&A) expenses." These are the costs associated with the overall administration and operation of a business that are not directly tied to specific projects or production activities.

Examples of general administrative expenses include salaries of executive and administrative staff, office supplies, rent for administrative offices, utilities, legal and accounting services, and other overhead costs necessary to run the business. These expenses are essential for the day-to-day operations but are not directly involved in the production of goods or services.

薄記 (hakki) refers to the "ledger entry" or "journal entry" in accounting. It is a fundamental concept in bookkeeping and accounting, used to record business transactions systematically in the company's financial records.

In the context of Japanese accounting practices, hakki includes the date when the transaction occurred, a description of the transaction including parties involved and the nature of the transaction, the monetary value of the transaction, and the accounts affected by the transaction including debit and credit entries.