Question
I’m heading to a business meeting in Tokyo, but I’m running late. How do I politely inform my Japanese colleagues that I will be late by about 10 minutes?
Japango Editor Team
10分（じゅっぷん）遅（おく）れます。申し訳（もうしわけ）ありません。
Juppun okuremasu. Moushiwake arimasen.
I will be 10 minutes late. I apologize.
In Japanese business culture, punctuality is highly valued, so it’s important to inform your colleagues if you’re running late. The phrase “juppun okuremasu” means “I will be 10 minutes late”. The word “juppun” means “10 minutes”, and “okuremasu” means “will be late”. “Moushiwake arimasen” is a formal way to apologize, expressing your regret for the inconvenience.
Simply replace “juppun” with other time durations as needed, such as “gofun” for 5 minutes, or “nijuuppun” for 20 minutes. This expression helps maintain professionalism even in unforeseen circumstances.
