Question
I will be attending a business meeting in Japan and want to make a good impression. How do I politely say “Thank you for your time” to my Japanese counterparts after the meeting?
Japango Editor Team
お時間（じかん）をいただき、ありがとうございます。
Ojikan o itadaki, arigatou gozaimasu.
Thank you for your time.
Expressing gratitude formally is important in Japanese business culture. “Ojikan” means “your time,” “itadaki” comes from the verb itadaku, which means “to receive” but is used here to humbly accept someone’s effort or time, and “arigatou gozaimasu” is the polite form for “thank you.”
This phrase is a respectful way to acknowledge the time and effort your business counterparts have given. You can use it at the end of meetings to leave a positive impression.
