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[ironopolis]

The document referred to as a letter of release above is called rishokusho in Japanese. I've heard it referred to by Japanese employers, employees and several immigration officials.

Admittedly it is more of a certificate than a letter. It states the dates of your employment and the wording reads something like, "this certifies that (NAME) was employed here on the above dates and has left the position in accordance with regulations."

I think to describe it as a "statement of employment" due its content would be fairly accurate. But that is NOT an accurate translation of its title, ri-shoku-sho. Ri= separate or leave (as in ririku=take-off, rikon=divorce), shoku= work + sho=letter or certificate; so it's surely fairly obvious how this became translated as letter of release. Every single person I've heard refer to the document has called it this in English.

I know the behaviour of immigration officials here can vary quite a lot, at times seemingly dependent on what side of bed they got out of, so I can well believe that some people got away with not needing the letter of release in the same circumstances as others who were told they did need it. But lots and lots of people did have to get this document, and it would surely be a bit cheeky to suggest they imagined the situation.