Professional Translation agency for
Japanese translations

Japanese is the official language of Japan: around 126 million people speak it as their first language. There are also Japanese communities and regions in which Japanese is spoken in all parts of the world. Brazil, Australia, Argentina and the Philippines are just a few of the countries in this category. Japanese is also widely spoken in the USA, particularly in California, New York and Hawaii. 

Because of the economic significance of Japan, Japanese is an important language for many international companies. The technology sector and the automotive industry are among the biggest branches of the country’s economy, with brands such as Sony, Toshiba, Toyota and Honda enjoying a worldwide reputation. The Japanese value quality and reliability very highly in almost all aspects of their work. Of course, that also applies to translations in the vehicle industry and to technology and IT translations. The more authentic a Japanese translation is and the higher its quality, the more successful it is.

In Japanese, politeness and respect are an important part of the culture. Friendly and positive language is perceived as the respectable and acceptable form of communication. There are various forms of politeness that are used depending on the situation and the relationship between those who are interacting. An easy way of being polite is to use expressions such as arigatou gozaimasu (thank you very much) and sumimasen (sorry). In business emails and official documents, formal expressions and titles are often used, such as shitsurei shimasu (excuse me).

When translating into Japanese – particularly in the business context – these polite formulations should always be used. The correct form of address conveys respect, builds a positive relationship and encourages communication. Ticking those boxes in a translation can provide a crucial advantage for a company. If you have to have documents translated or need a Japanese version of a contract, you should ensure that linguistic adaptation is part of the translation.

The Japanese language is known for its complexity and variety, especially when it comes to specialist translations. One reason for this is that Japanese is an extremely context-dependent language. There are many words that have different meanings depending on the context in which they are used. A very good example of this is the word “tsuku”. Depending on the context, it can mean to connect (e.g. plugging in a device), to arrive (e.g. at a station), to park (e.g. a car), to meet (e.g. for a date), to look after (e.g. children) or to stick (e.g. a label on a bottle).

In addition, there are specific technical terms that are often used only in one industry or area, or a technical expression from the automotive industry can have a different meaning in the electrical industry. Specialist translations should therefore always be completed by native speakers who have the necessary expertise in the area in question. The best approach is to consult a professional translation service.