Japanese Multi-Hole (JIS) vs. US 3-Hole
Comparing 2 standards across 11 specifications. 11 key differences identified.
The Japanese Loose-Leaf standard (governed by JIS P 0138) specifies a fine multi-hole grid with an exact 9.5 mm (3/8 inch) pitch and 5.5 mm hole diameter, featuring 26 holes for B5 paper and 30 holes for A4 paper. Engineered by stationery manufacturers such as Kokuyo and Maruman, it eliminates paper tear-out entirely.
The North American 3-Hole Standard is the ubiquitous paper punching system in the United States, Canada, and Mexico for 8.5 × 11-inch US Letter paper. Specifying three circular holes spaced exactly 4.25 inches (107.95 mm) apart (an 8.5-inch total span) with 5/16-inch (7.94 mm) hole diameters, it is the standard for 3-ring school and business binders.
Specification Comparison Table
11 Parameters| Parameter / Spec | ||
|---|---|---|
|
Hole Diameter
|
5.5 ± 0.5 mm | 5/16 in (7.94 mm) standard or 9/32 in (7.14 mm) |
|
Primary Applications
|
Kokuyo Campus Smart Ring binders, Maruman Giuris, King Jim multi-ring loose-leaf notebooks | School 3-ring binders (Avery, Wilson Jones), corporate training manuals, loose-leaf filler paper |
|
Hole Pitch (Center-to-Center)
|
9.5 mm (0.374 in / approx. 3/8 in) | — |
|
Edge Margin to Hole Center
|
6.5 ± 0.5 mm | — |
|
B5 Paper Hole Count
|
26 holes (for 257 mm JIS B5 paper) | — |
|
A4 Paper Hole Count
|
30 holes (for 297 mm ISO A4 paper) | — |
|
A5 Paper Hole Count
|
20 holes (for 210 mm ISO A5 paper) | — |
|
Center-to-Center Hole Spacing
|
— | 4.25 in (107.95 mm) |
|
Total Outer Hole Span
|
— | 8.50 in (215.90 mm — from top hole center to bottom hole center) |
|
Edge Distance to Hole Center
|
— | 0.375 to 0.50 in (9.5 to 12.7 mm) |
|
Top & Bottom Margins on US Letter
|
— | Exactly 1.25 in (31.75 mm) from sheet edge to outer hole centers |