Translation guide
A document that is meant to be kept secret or restricted to authorized persons. In Japanese, the most common and neutral term is 機密文書, but other expressions exist depending on context, such as internal company documents or classified government materials.
A document containing sensitive information that should not be disclosed, used in business, government, or personal contexts.
The standard term for a confidential document. Used in formal and official contexts.
この機密文書は社外に持ち出さないでください。
Please do not take this confidential document outside the company.
Literally 'secret document'. Slightly broader than 機密文書, can be used for any secret document, not necessarily official.
彼は秘密文書を漏洩した疑いで逮捕された。
He was arrested on suspicion of leaking secret documents.
Top-secret document. Used for highly classified materials, often in government or military contexts.
その極秘文書は厳重に保管されている。
The top-secret document is kept under strict security.
A document intended only for internal use within an organization, often marked as confidential.
Abbreviation of 社外秘文書, meaning 'company confidential'. Commonly stamped on documents.
この資料は社外秘ですので、取扱いに注意してください。
This material is company confidential, so please handle it with care.
Confidential within a department or section. Not to be shared outside the specific unit.
A document whose access is restricted by law or regulation for national security reasons.
State secret document. Used for official government secrets.
国家機密文書を無断で公開することは法律で禁じられている。
Unauthorized disclosure of state secret documents is prohibited by law.
Designated confidential document. Refers to documents officially classified under a secrecy system.
機密指定文書の管理には特別な手続きが必要です。
Special procedures are required for managing designated confidential documents.
機密文書 is more formal and often implies official or organizational confidentiality, while 秘密文書 simply means a secret document and can be used in broader contexts, including personal secrets.
These terms are often used as stamps or labels on documents. They are not typically used in spoken language to refer to the document itself; instead, you might say 社外秘の書類 (company-confidential document).
You must not show department-confidential documents to people from other departments.