Japanese Translation Agency Arc Communications – Blog

Localization projects require a variety of things to be translated, such as websites and catalogs. However, what must not be forgotten in that process is the naming of products and services. It is necessary to decide whether to adopt the product names and service names applied in Japan for use overseas, or instead to create a new name. Let's take a look at the key points for naming that will prevent the failure of localization.

When using a Japanese product or service name overseas, it is necessary first to determine whether there are any other words with the same pronunciation as the name, or any local words with similar pronunciation. If there are similar words, it is necessary to check the meaning. If the meaning is unpleasant or not appropriate for the nature of the product or service, it would be wise to consider a different name.

Japanese people are not very familiar with Sweden, and may only have an image of Sweden as being a Scandinavian country with a well-established welfare system. However, the entry of Swedish home interior companies into the Japanese market has increased the number of people who are interested in Swedish interior accessories and Swedish lifestyle. The popular children's books Pippi Longstocking, The Children of Noisy Village, and The Wonderful Adventures of Nils are all actually from Sweden. So what kind of language is Swedish?

Swedish is spoken by approximately ten million people, chiefly in Sweden and parts of Finland. It is a Northern Germanic language that originated in the Old Norse, the lingua franca of Scandinavia during the Viking Age. Danish and Norwegian also developed from Old Norse, and share many traits with Swedish, making it possible for Danish and Norwegian people to understand the words of people from Sweden. On the other hand, although Finland is Sweden's immediate neighbor, the Finnish language comes from a completely different language family.

There are two options available when translation is necessary: requesting translation by a translation company, and temporary translator staffing services. Each of these options has its benefits and drawbacks. There are a variety of elements related to translation that should be considered, such as the frequency of translation, the contents, the budget, and the required level of quality. It is best to choose the optimum method for those needs. This requires an understanding of the characteristics of translation companies and of temporary translator staffing services.

In the case of a medium/long-term project that requires translation, it would be worth considering the use of staffing services. In this case, a specific translator continues working on site, so he or she gains a deeper knowledge of the company's unique terminology, etc.; thus making it possible to expect flexible services. The company is able to give detailed instructions to the translator without going through an intermediate company, enabling timely translation even when there are changes in the project. For such reasons, using a temporary staffing service would likely be most efficient for the translation of marketing, PR materials, etc.

Beginning in 2014, the scope of acceptance of foreign workers has expanded in light of preparation for the 2020 Olympics and support for earthquake recovery. The focus has first been placed on the construction industry. In order to make up for the labor shortage, the period of stay has been lengthened for foreign workers who have completed the requisite training programs. It is likely that translation will be required to accept foreign workers and operate business smoothly.

This expansion of acceptance takes the form of a change to the Technical Intern Training Program. In the past, interns worked while learning skills in a specified occupation, such as construction, agriculture, and sewn products manufacturing, allowing them to stay in Japan for up to three years. The change will enable qualified individuals to stay for an additional two years of work after their training is completed, for a total stay of five years. Individuals who temporarily return to their home countries before coming back to Japan can stay for up to three more years, for a total stay of six years.