Translation guide
The office or department responsible for administrative and clerical work, especially for an international organization, government body, or large institution.
事務局
secretariat (office)
Referring to the permanent administrative office of an international organization, government, or large institution.
The most common and general term for a secretariat, used for administrative offices of committees, associations, and organizations.
国連事務局はニューヨークにあります。
The United Nations Secretariat is in New York.
大会の事務局に問い合わせてください。
Please contact the conference secretariat.
Often used for the secretariat of political parties or labor unions, emphasizing the clerical or recording function.
党の書記局が声明を発表した。
The party secretariat issued a statement.
A general term for 'office', but can sometimes be used for a small-scale secretariat, though it lacks the specific organizational connotation.
Use only when the context clearly implies an administrative office; otherwise it simply means 'office'.
その委員会の事務所は市役所の中にある。
The committee's secretariat is inside the city hall.
Referring to the people who work in a secretariat, collectively.
Refers to the staff members of a secretariat.
事務局員が会議の準備をしています。
The secretariat staff are preparing for the meeting.
A more casual way to refer to secretariat staff, using the loanword 'staff'.
事務局スタッフに聞いてみて。
Ask the secretariat staff.
事務局 is the general term for any administrative office, while 書記局 is more specific to political parties or unions and emphasizes the clerical/recording aspect. For most international organizations, 事務局 is preferred.