noun
internal approval document; circulated proposal
A formal document circulated within a Japanese company or organization to obtain approval from relevant staff for a decision, policy, or expenditure. Common in traditional office settings.
新しいプロジェクトを始める前に、稟議書を回して承認を得なければならない。
Before starting a new project, we must circulate a ringisho and get approval.
稟議書に必要なハンコを全部もらうのに一週間かかった。
It took a week to get all the necessary stamps on the ringisho.
Compound of 稟議 (ringi, 'consultation-based decision-making') and 書 (sho, 'document'). The term reflects traditional Japanese corporate culture where proposals are circulated for consensus.