Keys to successfully hiring Japanese<>English translation services
Advertising and communication agencies have very specific needs when requesting translations from Japanese or into Japanese. Whether press releases or advertising texts, this type of translation requires not only an extensive linguistic knowledge, but also a good cultural background of each country or region (Japan, in this case) and how words are used.
A good advertising translation is paramount to expanding your target audience of Japanese-speaking users. Here are a few tips to keep in mind.
Remember these tips when translating your marketing content from or into Japanese:
Know your audience
Before you start translating, decide who your target audience will be. Who do you think will be most responsive to your services or products?
Find out and limit who your target audience is going to be. In this case, if you intend translating into Japanese, think about which markets you want to reach. Only Japan…? Or maybe into other territories with large Japanese-speaking communitites? Always consider the local and dialectal variations of Japanese and how this may impact the recipient.
Also consider the age of your audience, as this will determine the style in the translation. The more you narrow your focus by directly targeting a niche market, the more likely it is that your translation from Japanese or into Japanese will attract potential buyers.
Consider all types of publications
There are many ways to enter local Japanese markets. Expand the type of advertising and informational content to cover all of your company’s social channels.
Press releases and printed advertising material are a classic, but translating your website content into Japanese and start publishing articles about products or services can be a great way to reach thousands of readers in Japan.
One option is to start a profile on a social network such as Twitter or Instagram, and specifically target Japanese. You can also start an email marketing campaign targeted at Japanese!}-speaking countries. Remember to always include these new communication formats in your English-Japanese strategies.
Translate and localize (i.e. culturally adapt into Japanese)
In the marketing world, localization refers to the adaptation of all elements (from design to cultural references) for a specific audience. A small change in an audience type will increase the response rate and the number of sales.
Even if two groups speak the same language, such as Japanese, we may need different translations for each region or country (Japan).
A good localization in Japanese helps us solve these problems: from everyday expression to date formats, weight units or forms of address used in Japan, etc.
Take every aspect into account
In an advertising translation into Japanese, not everything is text. Remember that there are also graphics, presentations and drawings that can be important to attract the attention of your Japanese-speaking users.
Changes in graphics and pictures not only affect the content, but are sometimes necessary for the readability of the translation. Sometimes we will need to make changes to accommodate the reading direction of a language (left to right or right to left), the spacing of a particular alphabet, or any features such as those specific to the Japanese language.
Always keep in mind that the space taken up by a translation may increase or decrease with respect to the original text when translating from English into Japanese or vice versa.
Do not limit your imagination
When looking for translations in Japanese for your advertising content, your initial idea in English may not work when translated into Japanese.
It is important to maintain consistency throughout the campaign: it is what will identify your brand, company or product in countries like Japan… Remember that a literal translation of an English witty expression will most probably not work in Japanese.
Throughout the translation project, always think about which types of Japanese-speaking users your campaign is targeting. Be open to new ideas so your message does not get lost in translation.
How do you say “Japanese” in Japanese?
Japanese (日本語 in Japanese). With 127 million native speakers, Japan is one of the strongest economies in the world. More than 75% of the population has an Internet connection. Due to its closed culture, in order to enter the Japanese market it is essential to do it in Japanese.
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A quick overview of the Japanese language
The origin of the Japanese language is still not entirely clear. After the Japanese islands were repopulated by Stone Age hunters and gatherers in prehistoric times, when there were still bridges to the mainland, the warrior tribes of northeast Asia began to move from Korea to Japan, starting in 300 B.C., bringing with them rice cultivation, weapons and the art of horseback riding.
They created states in which they formed a ruling elite, although they mingled with the indigenous population. This is how the primitive form of Japanese was created, which has been structurally preserved until today. The relationship with Korean and Ryûkyûan (the language of the Okinawans) can be seen today.