J-Trans

About J-Trans

J-Trans was set up in October 2007 to offer Japanese to English translation specialising in games, technical and conversational material.

Qualifications and professional memberships:

MA Advanced Japanese Studies, University of Sheffield
Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Linguists (CIoL)
Associate of the Institute of Translation and Interpreting (ITI)
Board Member of J-Net, the Japanese language specialist sub-group of the ITI
SDL Trados Studio 2009 Advanced Certification
Level 1 of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test
Level J2 of the JETRO Business Japanese exam (now the BJT Business Japanese Proficiency Test)

About Me

I started studying Japanese in 1996 and acquired basic competency by 1998 when I spent a year on the JET Programme as an Assistant English Teacher in Gifu Prefecture. I passed Level 3 of the Japanese Language Proficiency Test (JLPT) on my return and continued my studies part-time. In 2002 I returned to Japan for a year of full-time study at a Japanese language school in Aichi Prefecture, followed by a pass at Level 1 of the JLPT in 2003 and a J2 in the JETRO Business Japanese Test in 2005.

I worked as a localisation project manager for several years, studying for my MA in Advanced Japanese Studies part-time with the University of Sheffield. I started off translating patents and technical articles, then took Nintendo of Europe's in-house freelancer test at the beginning of 2008 and was hired in March for a six month contract, followed by a second one from January 2009.

I passed the Japan Society's test for translating their schools exchange programme, Japan-UK Live!, in September 2008 and continue to translate for their educational exchanges on a daily basis. As of May 2010 I have taken on additional responsibilities including checking the work of other translators, co-ordinating exchange themes and developing a new website.

In February 2010 I joined the Institute of Translators and Interpreters as an Associate after four years of membership in their Japanese interest group, and in June 2010 became an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Linguists.