Formal to Client
Workplace · Email
You
この度は多大なるご迷惑をおかけしてしまい、誠に申し訳ございません。
このたびはただいなるごめいわくをおかけしてしまい、まことにもうしわけございません。
I sincerely apologize for the considerable inconvenience this has caused you.
Romaji: Kono tabi wa tadai naru gomeiou o okake shite shimai, makoto ni moushiwake gozaimasen. / Reply Romaji: Hai, kou iu koto ga nai you, yoroshiku onegai itashimasu.
Reply
はい、こういうことがないよう、よろしくお願いいたします。
はい、こういうことがないよう、よろしくおねがいいたします。
Yes, please ensure this does not happen again.
Gesture & etiquette
(Email/In-person) In a face-to-face apology, bow deeply — 45 degrees or more — and hold until the other party responds. Do not explain before apologizing; explanation before apology reads as excuse-making.
Japanese business apologies must be immediate, explicit, and unconditional — never begin with excuses or explanations. 'Makoto ni moushiwake gozaimasen' (truly, there is no excuse) is the highest-register apology phrase. Follow it with a clear account of what happened and concrete remediation steps.