UX writing is the part of localization where AI fails most visibly. A button label or empty-state message is too short to hide bad choices in. Either it sounds native or it doesn't, in 4–8 characters.
This article covers the conventions Japanese apps use across the most common microcopy surfaces. For the broader translation theory, see why AI translation fails for Japanese.
The Two Rules That Govern Japanese UX Microcopy
Before the patterns, two underlying rules:
Rule 1: Verb form determines tone in 2 characters. 「保存」(noun: "save") vs. 「保存する」(plain verb: "to save") vs. 「保存します」(polite verb: "will save") — three forms of the same word, three different feels. Pick one and use it consistently across the app's buttons.
Rule 2: Short doesn't mean blunt. Concise Japanese microcopy is not the same as blunt Japanese microcopy. The verb 「保存」 (noun form) is short and warm. The phrase 「保存しろ」 (imperative) is short and rude. Brevity is a stylistic axis; politeness is a separate one.
Buttons
Japanese button conventions are tighter than English. The dominant pattern is the noun form of the action: 「保存」「送信」「編集」「削除」.
Common button label patterns
| English | Standard Japanese | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Save | 保存 | Universal. |
| Cancel | キャンセル | Universal — katakana wins here. |
| Delete | 削除 | Use 削除, not 「消去」 (more literary). |
| Edit | 編集 | Universal. |
| Send | 送信 | For messages, mail. |
| Submit | 送信 / 確定 | 確定 for forms; 送信 for sending. |
| Continue | 次へ | Most common. |
| Back | 戻る | Most common. |
| Close | 閉じる | Verb form preferred over 「閉」. |
| Done | 完了 | Universal. |
| Confirm | 確認する / 確定 | 確認 for review; 確定 for finalize. |
| Apply | 適用 | Standard. |
| Settings | 設定 | Universal. |
Avoid
- 「する」 added unnecessarily to buttons. 「保存する」 on a button is OK; 「保存」 is more native. Most top-tier Japanese apps use the noun form.
- 「ボタン」 as part of a label. You never see 「保存ボタン」 on a button. The user knows it's a button.
- Honorific verbs. 「ご保存いただく」 doesn't fit on a button and would be wrong even if it did.
Button microcopy in destructive actions
Destructive action confirmations follow a pattern:
Modal title: アカウントを削除しますか？ Modal body: 削除するとデータは復元できません。 Buttons: [キャンセル] [削除する]
Note the destructive button uses the verb form 「削除する」 to emphasize the action being committed to. Cancel uses the standard katakana. This is the convention iOS Japanese system dialogs use too.
Error Messages
Japanese error messages are typically more apologetic than English ones — but only slightly. Over-apologizing reads as melodramatic.
Pattern: state the problem, then the recovery
❌ "Network error. Please try again." ❌ ネットワークエラーが発生しました。再度試してください。 ✅ ネットワークに接続できませんでした。しばらくしてから、もう一度お試しください。
Native Japanese error messages tend to:
- Use 「〜できませんでした」 (passive past tense) rather than 「〜エラーが発生しました」 (active "an error occurred").
- Soften the recovery instruction with 「もう一度」 or 「再度」 + 「お試しください」.
- Avoid technical terms in user-facing errors. "Server returned 503" is for the developer console.
Three error tone patterns
For different brand voices:
Polite-neutral (default):
通信に失敗しました。もう一度お試しください。
Honorific (finance/healthcare):
通信に失敗いたしました。お手数ですが、もう一度お試しください。
Casual (social):
ネットワークエラーだよ。もう一度試してね。
All three are correct. The fit to your brand is what matters.
Things to avoid
- 「申し訳ございませんがエラーが発生しました。再試行してください。」 — over-apologetic, plus 「再試行」 sounds technical.
- 「失敗」 used loudly. "Failure" in English is fine; 「失敗」 in a user-facing dialog is heavy. Soften with 「〜できませんでした」.
- Punctuation overload. Three exclamation marks for an error message reads as panicked.
Empty States
Empty states are where copy can earn warmth or fall flat. Japanese empty-state conventions:
- A short headline (1–2 lines).
- A single supporting line explaining what happens once content exists.
- A button to take action.
Examples
A messaging app, empty inbox:
まだメッセージはありません 友だちを追加してチャットを始めましょう [友だちを追加]
A note app, empty:
ノートはまだありません 最初のノートを書いてみましょう [新しいノートを作成]
A photo app, empty:
写真がありません カメラロールから追加できます [写真を追加]
The pattern is consistent: 「〜はまだありません」 / 「〜はありません」 for the headline, followed by an inviting "let's do X" line in 「〜しましょう」 form. The casual register equivalent uses 「〜しよう」.
Avoid
- 「データがありません」 as a headline. It's correct but sounds technical and dismissive. Specify what kind of data ("メッセージはまだありません").
- Cute mascot text in serious apps. Some apps use a character to deliver empty-state copy. This works for casual apps; it undermines trust in finance or healthcare apps.
Confirmation Dialogs
Confirmation dialogs are where register matters most. The three-line pattern:
- Title — the question, neutral phrasing.
- Body — consequence, slightly more cautious.
- Buttons — verb form for the action; katakana for cancel.
Pattern
削除しますか？ 削除した内容は復元できません。 [キャンセル] [削除する]
Variant for very-destructive actions
For account deletion or data wipe, Japanese apps often add an extra confirmation step with an explicit phrase the user must understand:
このアカウントを削除しますか？ 削除するとすべてのデータが失われ、復元することはできません。 ご利用中のサブスクリプションも解約されます。 [キャンセル] [削除する]
The body is longer, the consequence is spelled out fully, and the button label is unambiguous. This matters in Japan because users read confirmation dialogs more carefully than US users do.
Toast Messages and Snackbars
Toast/snackbar conventions are short and past-tense:
| Action | Toast |
|---|---|
| Saved | 保存しました |
| Deleted | 削除しました |
| Sent | 送信しました |
| Copied | コピーしました |
| Error | エラーが発生しました |
The 「〜しました」 form (polite-past) is the universal default. Casual apps use 「〜したよ」. Honorific apps use 「〜いたしました」.
Avoid
- 「成功！」 ("Success!") as a toast. Too loud, not native idiom. Native apps describe what happened ("Saved"), not whether it succeeded.
- 「完了しました！」 with an exclamation. The action is done; no celebration needed. Drop the !.
Form Labels and Placeholders
Form input labels are typically nouns, slightly more formal than buttons.
| English | Form label |
|---|---|
| メールアドレス | |
| Password | パスワード |
| Phone number | 電話番号 |
| Full name | 氏名 |
| First name | 名 |
| Last name | 姓 |
| Address | 住所 |
| Postal code | 郵便番号 |
Placeholder text uses 「〜を入力」 or example values:
❌ メールアドレスを入力してください ✅ メールアドレス placeholder: example@email.com
❌ お電話番号をご入力ください ✅ 電話番号 placeholder: 090-1234-5678
Placeholders should be examples or brief hints, not full sentences. Reserve full instructions for help text below the field.
Permission Prompts
Permission strings are some of the most-read text in your app. Japanese users deny aggressively if the explanation is awkward.
iOS NSCameraUsageDescription example:
❌ "Camera access is needed to take photos." ❌ "写真を撮影するためにカメラへのアクセスが必要です。" ✅ "プロフィール写真の撮影に使用します。"
The native version answers "what specifically?" not "why technically?". 「カメラへのアクセス」 is technically accurate and feels bureaucratic. 「プロフィール写真の撮影に使用します」 tells the user what their consent enables.
Microcopy Style: A Quick Self-Check
Run this on your existing app's microcopy:
- Read every button label aloud. Do they all use the same verb form (noun, plain, polite)?
- Read every error message aloud. Do they sound like they were written by a person who cares, not a system that's reporting?
- Read every empty state. Does each one invite a next action?
- Read every confirmation dialog. Does the destructive button explicitly state the action?
- Read every permission prompt. Does each one say what the user gets in exchange for the permission?
If you said yes to all five, your microcopy is calibrated. If not, those are the edits.
Where to Go Next
- Keigo in Apps: When to Use Polite, Plain, or Casual Japanese
- How to Make App Copy Sound Native in Japanese
- Mobile UI Conventions Japanese Users Expect
- Push Notifications That Work for Japanese Users
We help teams write Japanese microcopy that doesn't read as translated, including button-by-button rewrites of existing apps. Get in touch for a microcopy audit.