Formal to Superior
Workplace · Meeting
本日はお忙しい中お集まりいただきありがとうございます。 — Thank you very much for gathering today despite your busy schedules. (Workplace · Meeting, Formal to Superior, JLPT N3)
You
本日はお忙しい中お集まりいただきありがとうございます。
ほんじつはおいそがしいなかおあつまりいただきありがとうございます。
Thank you very much for gathering today despite your busy schedules.
Romaji: Honjitsu wa oisogashii naka oatsumari itadaki arigatō gozaimasu. / Reply Romaji: Kochira koso, yoroshiku onegaishimasu.
Reply
こちらこそ、よろしくお願いします。
こちらこそ、よろしくおねがいします。
Likewise, thank you for arranging this.
Gesture & etiquette
Stand or sit upright as the host; bow slightly as you open; make brief eye contact with each attendee in turn; keep the opener under 30 seconds and transition directly to the agenda.
This is Japan's standard meeting opener, acknowledging that attendees sacrificed valuable time. It sets a respectful, formal tone immediately. Follow with a concise agenda: 'それでは、本日のアジェンダですが...' (Now, as for today's agenda...) — Japanese meetings work best when the purpose is clear from the start.