memorandum of agreement; memorandum of understanding; letter of intent
A formal document outlining mutual intentions or preliminary agreement between parties, often used in business, diplomacy, or legal contexts.
The two companies exchanged a memorandum of agreement and confirmed their future cooperation.
覚書 is a general memorandum or note, while 合意覚書 specifically refers to a document recording mutual agreement.
契約書 is a legally binding contract, whereas 合意覚書 is often a preliminary or non-binding statement of intent.
Compound of 合意 (agreement) and 覚書 (memorandum). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the term is a modern legal/business coinage.