Technical Japanese #33 — Asking for Confirmation, Approval and Permission in Japanese
In Japanese technical work, deciding one small thing on your own can spoil a lot or create a hazard. That is why 確認 (confirming) and 承認 (approval) are reflexes: you ask before doing anything beyond your authority or anything you are unsure of. This post gives you the phrases to confirm and to ask permission, politely and clearly.
Core vocabulary for confirming and asking permission
| Japanese | Reading | Meaning | On the floor | Note |
|---|
| 確認 | かくにん kakunin | confirmation | 確認をお願いします | Check |
| 承認 | しょうにん shōnin | approval | 承認をもらう | Formal sign-off |
| 許可 | きょか kyoka | permission | 許可を得る | Permission |
| 判断 | はんだん handan | judgement, decision | 判断に迷う | Deciding |
| よろしいでしょうか | yoroshii deshō ka | may I? | 進めてよろしいでしょうか | Asking to proceed |
| 進める | すすめる susumeru | to proceed | 作業を進める | Carry on |
| 合っていますか | あって atteimasu ka | is this correct? | 認識合ってますか | Checking your reading |
| 認識 | にんしき ninshiki | understanding | 認識を合わせる | Aligning what each side thinks |
| 場合 | ばあい baai | case, situation | その場合 | In that case |
| もし | moshi | if | もし○○なら | If |
| 前に | まえに mae ni | before | 作業前に | Before doing it |
| ご指示 | ごしじ go-shiji | your instruction | ご指示ください | Please instruct me |
| 大丈夫です | だいじょうぶ daijōbu desu | it is fine | 進めて大丈夫 | Go ahead |
| 少々お待ちください | しょうしょう shōshō omachi kudasai | one moment please | 確認します | While you check |
Three levels of asking
- 確認 — when you believe you understand and want to be sure: 「認識、合っていますか。」
- 承認 / 許可 — when the action is beyond your authority or departs from the plan: 「○○してよろしいでしょうか。」
- 相談 — when you do not yet know what to do (see #29 on HORENSO).
The rule: ask before the work (作業前に), and state the option you intend to take, so the person approving only has to nod or correct you — rather than facing a bare "what should I do?".
Phrases by situation
Confirming a shared understanding
- 認識合わせのため確認させてください。 — Let me confirm so we are working from the same understanding.
- この理解で合っていますか。 — Is my understanding correct?
Asking permission to proceed
- この方法で進めてよろしいでしょうか。 — May I proceed this way?
- ○○に変更してもよろしいですか。 — May I change it to ○○?
When the decision belongs upstairs
- 判断に迷うので、ご指示をお願いします。 — I am unsure of the judgement; please instruct me.
Mistakes to avoid
| Mistake | Why it hurts |
|---|
| Deciding beyond your authority because asking feels awkward | When it is wrong, the consequence is large and the trust is gone |
| Asking an empty question — 「どうすればいいですか」 | A Japanese manager reads it as a lack of initiative. Bring a proposal to approve |
| Confirming after you have acted | 確認 loses its point entirely. Always ask 作業前に |
| Staying silent when unsure and improvising | It breaks the whole HORENSO principle |
Hear it, then act — quick self-check
You want to change the assembly order because it seems faster, but that departs from the 手順書. What do you say?
<details><summary>Answer</summary>Ask first: 「手順を○○の順に変えたほうが速いと思いますが、変更してもよろしいでしょうか。」 — a concrete proposal plus a request for approval. Do not change it on your own (see #25).</details>
A Japanese counterpart asks: 「この認識で合ってますか。」 and you agree. How do you answer?
<details><summary>Answer</summary>「はい、合っています。」 — or, if something does not match, 「一点だけ確認させてください。」 and then name the point.</details>
How MINATA helps
Do you need a technical counterpart who knows when confirmation is required and when a decision can be taken on the Japanese side? MINATA acts as the Japan–Vietnam technical bridge: confirming requirements on your behalf, obtaining approvals and keeping the project inside its authority. See our Japan–Vietnam projects or Japan–Vietnam business services.
View all MINATA technical articles