Japanese Translation Agency Arc Communications – Blog

Hi, I'm Yucchi. I just transferred to the translation industry from another business field last fall. Since this is my first time working in the field of translation, I'm constantly learning so many new things each day with the help of my senior co-workers.

I heard that a Moomin theme park was expected to open in Japan, and this news got me interested in the country of Finland―homeland of this popular character. Finland, located in Northern Europe, is also often referred to as the 'Country of Forests and Lakes' and is well known for Santa Claus and the fashionable interior items that they produce. The IT industry is also highly developed as can be seen in world-widely known IT companies such as the once famous Nokia Corporation. In today's blog, I will be introducing some interesting facts about this amazing country.

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Finland borders three countries; Sweden to the west, Russia to the east and Norway to the north. The land area of Finland is equivalent to that of Japan. However, the population of the entire country adds up to only the same as that of Hokkaido, which is approximately 5,400,000. This Scandinavian country also has a dramatic history of fighting repeatedly against the invasion of two of its neighboring countries, Russia and Sweden.

Hello. I am Yucchi, a fledgling translator who transferred last autumn from a different field. I've only just started in translation so I have much to learn, but I'm studying hard with the help of my seniors.

The Kingdom of Norway in northern Europe is well known for its high quality of public welfare, and its beautiful nature such as its fjords and forests. The image of vikings may also come to mind. At the same time, we hear of its stable economy supported by its rich oil resources. What kind of country is Norway, and what might be the attractiveness of Norwegian translation?

Norway has an area quite similar in size to Japan, where approximately 5,150,000 people live surrounded by a rich natural environment. It is well known for its good welfare system, and has high labor efficiency, as well as being advanced in the area of gender equality. For example, taking childcare leave is mandatory for men, and there is a system ensuring a fairly equal mix of men and women in the parliament.

Hello again, Naho here. As a book lover, reading has become part of my daily routine. Still, I remember that among all the different genres, fairy tales used to be one of my favorites as a child.

I believe most people would agree that H. C. Andersen is the world's most well-known fairy tale writer. So it shouldn't come as a surprise that the floral emblem of Denmark, the land where Andersen was born and raised, looks just like a flower popped out of a storybook.

The floral emblem of Denmark is the marguerite. It grows around 2-3 feet tall, and after a certain period of time, the part of the stem that's near the soil grows rougher in texture and turns light brown in color, which resembles the bark of a tree. Precisely because of this, marguerites are also called "Spring Daisy of A Tree" (Mokushunguku) in Japanese. The flower features a single bloom, and the petals are generally white or yellow.

Some people see marguerite and daisy the same type of flower. Strictly speaking, however, "daisy" often refers to a particular species used in French-styled gardening, which was created through a process of selective breeding. One of the differences is that daisies tend to have larger and fuller blooms.

Hello, I'm Yosshi. I entered the translation business two years ago, dreaming of an international career. Since then, every day I keep discovering more about the ever-fascinating world of translation.

Until just recently, I had assumed that the so-called 'three Baltic States' were three countries located on the Balcan Peninsula. However, for some reason, I happened to question this long held assumption of mine. It's a good thing that I did because some research told me that the three Baltic States were in fact not located on the Baltic Peninsula! The Baltic States are often referred to as the 'Baltic Tiger' for their recent economic growth. Today, I would like to share with you some interesting information about one of these countries, Estonia. Thanks to the development of its IT industry, Estonia has experienced a sudden boost in economy and has even become the first nation to conduct an online election.

I first had to check the locations of the three Baltic States―Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania―on a world map. To the east of these three countries lies Russia, and to the west lies the Baltic Sea. Neighboring Finland across the Baltic Sea, Estonia is the northernmost of the Baltic States. According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website, the land area of Estonia is only one ninth of that of Japan.