Crash course in business Japanese?

[Kanchou]

There's a possibility I might be able to do part-time work as a translator/interpreter for a Japaense CEO of a local Japanese company (apparently he speaks English but doesn't hear it all that well)...

Mainly since I'm one of the few people in the city that speak Japanese but are actually interested or legally able to work in the US...

I'm pretty sure I'm woefully inadeqate to be an interpreter, but does anyone know of any good crash coures in Japanese business language (preferably on the internet...)?

Or at least a list of typical terms you might use at a business meeting.

I probably need to at least get an e-dictionary...

[Charles]

[Kanchou]

I would consider it, but Amazon JP doesn't like my credit card (I tried once before).

Also, the shipping on books is astronomic to the US (10 bucks for a single manga volume... probably because they put them in boxes instead of envelopes).

[Mulboyne]

I don't have any good suggestions for books but before your meetings you want to consider:

What industry is your guy in? It will probably have some specialist vocabulary which you will want to know. If your guy understands English then, in the worst case, he'll understand any terminology that might confuse you but you'll want to get a grounding in the subject matter. Try and get hold of any presentation materials that might be used and look at any corporate videos you can get your hands on. Don't overtranslate - one interpreter I worked with kept talking about doing business with optical communications when the topic was actually the company Hikari Tsushin. In some cases, your guy might know the English term better than your Japanese translation.

Is he selling something or being sold to? Most people sugar their words when they are selling but a direct translation doesn't always make their point and sometimes obscures it. Jokes which might otherwise break the ice can fall flat if you don't flag them. It is sometimes better to paraphrase to make the speaker's intentions clearer. Some people don't like this style so check with your client first. If the English speaker is being respectful then you have the choice of translating that using keigo or establishing with your client at the outset that respect is being shown and then using less formal language to convey the information.

Ask your guy first what he is trying to find out. There may be a point in the meeting where it is clear to you that it is appropriate to pursue a certain line and you can prompt him.

[Charles]

I would consider it, but Amazon JP doesn't like my credit card (I tried once before).

Also, the shipping on books is astronomic to the US (10 bucks for a single manga volume... probably because they put them in boxes instead of envelopes).

Oh.. I didn't read closely and thought you were in Japan. I bought it through Sasuga Books in Boston, it wasn't terribly expensive even though it was a special order.

[FG Lurker]

Mulboyne's advice was excellent.

Charles' book suggestion is 15 years old and likely not all that useful. (Some parts won't have changed of course, but some areas will have changed drastically. Since someone who needs to study this area has no basis to know what has changed and what hasn't, the book is best left on the shelf IMO.)

[Kanchou]

The company is Nikki America. They make fuel systems for small engines, primarily for Briggs and Stratton (both plants are right next to each other, I beleive).

From what I hear from my friend (who couldn't take the guys job offer since he's not allowed to have a part time job while studying here), the CEO is a very nice, atypical Japanese businessmman ("kawaii ojiisan").

I've never been to a business meeting (much less one involving top managment of an international company), so I don't really know what to expect at all (in terms of language, content, length)... I suppose a presenation might not be so hard if I was able to at least glance at any slides or notes.

It would be nice if I get the chance to go to Japan (although I can't see any reason that I'd need to go...hahah).

[Mulboyne]

I think you have a slightly easier task being engaged by the Japanese company. If it was the foreign company engaging you then they would be more interested in you giving the right impression to the Japanese side which can be tricky for a non-native speaker. Your client ought to have no doubts that you can communicate effectively in English.

Do think beforehand which side is in pole position even if there isn't any explicit selling going on. That means you need to know what kind of meeting it is. It could be a regular meeting to keep up an existing relationship or both sides could be meeting for the first time. Find out who called the meeting and what it is supposed to achieve. If the US side is selling, then they might go all Japanese with bowing and namecard exchanges at the beginning. If your guy is selling then he might want to start out the American way. If someone offers you a drink, then take it in case your mouth goes dry during the meeting. Water is good.

Make sure you sit somehere you can hear everyone clearly. Ideally, that is next to your client and opposite the main man on the other side so they don't have to keep turning their heads to look at you. I would recommend that you take notes - it doesn't have to be shorthand - so you can cover all the main points without just trying to remember what someone has said. You'll want a notebook with a firm cover in case there isn't a table and you end up writing on your lap. If someone says a number, any number, write it down immediately and be prepared to ask them to repeat it before you start translating if you didn't catch it properly.

Get as much time with your client ahead of the meeting as you can rather than just his assistants. You can find out what you want to know but he will also get accustomed to your Japanese. I'm guessing you'll probably have an accent no matter how good your skills are so it'll make the meeting go more smoothly if he can tune in beforehand.

Don't let anyone ramble on. Your job is to translate effectively so interrupt someone who is into a monologue, even if it is your client, so the other side can catch up with what is being said rather than just sitting there with a fixed grin on their face wondering what is going on. If the other side then tries to answer, politely stop them and let the original speaker continue. An exception to this is if they want to correct something that has just been said since this may affect what the speaker then goes on to say.

Remember you are working for your client. If he is saying something which doesn't make sense to you, clarify it so you can convey his meaning accurately. On the other hand, it is not your job to help the US side look good so if they speak confusingly or contradict themselves then translate what they said and let your client be the one to ask them to clarify the point. It may be valuable for him to learn that the other side hasn't come prepared or know what they are talking about.

If you have a mobile phone, turn it off before you go in.

[Kanchou]

I took the time to think of a few words that seem vital to meetings of a production company...

One of the ones that I beleive will be the most vital is "seisan" (production) (or seisaku, I assume they mean the same thing)

Ie, seisansuu (production numbers), seisanmokuhyou (production target), seisankeikaku (production schedule), zousan (production increase).


Hell, the list goes on... ie, seisansetsubi (manufacturing equipment), seisanhi (production cost), seisannouryoku (production capacity).


Some others I thought of involved labor/laborers (roudou, roudousha), labor unions (rousou/roukumi, roudoukumiai, etc).

Now,the hard part is actually remembering them

Kanji being so self-explanitory might help, in a way... ie, seisan is two different kanji for what is essentially the same word (umu, give birth).

It definately helps when you already know what half the word means, rather than trying to memorize the whole thing individually (ie nouryoku and seisan).

But I suppose those words would be more used for internal meetings rather than external meetings (ie, ones between companies, especially when selling something)...

[Charles]

...Some others I thought of involved labor/laborers (roudou, roudousha), labor unions (rousou/roukumi, roudoukumiai, etc)...

You know, I remember a long time ago I had to give a short speech in my Japanese class on an economic topic, and my teacher chastised me for using the word "roudousha," saying it was slightly derogatory. Alas, I can't recall what she suggested as an alternate.
But it all depends on context, if your guys use the word, you follow their usage and you can't go wrong.

[Kanchou]

The other word I had found was Shokunin, which sounds more general since I beleive Roudousha refers to manual labor specifically (ie, blue-collar workers).

Or simply Koujyouin, since it'll probably involve primarily factory workers instead.

[Mulboyne]

Kanchou, why do you think somone will refer to "blue collar workers" in your meeting? If it is about employment policy then I can understand, if not, don't spend your time learning random business terms. Find out what the meeting is about and narrow your search down.

Also, you might find in a dictionary a Japanese equivalent for an English term but make sure you understand what the English term means. If your client doesn't recognize your chosen Japanese word then you will have find another way to describe the concept. You can only do that if you understand it. Put another way, if you are going to use a specialist Japanese word, don't settle for the fact that a dictionary tells you it is equivalent to a particular English word, make sure you learn the concept.

[Blah Pete]

Roudousya is more like a blue collar worker, or as you mentioned manual labor. Sometimes can be non-permanent (expendable). Could also have a negative conotation depending on use
Roudoukumiai is still the word used for trade or company workers union (remember in japan the workers are organized by the company not the trade ie. United Auto Workers).

Syoukunin is more like a master skilled labor generally specializing in a product that is hand made. Example would be a carpenter who does repairs to temples, etc., stone mason, wood carvers, specialized crafts. Unless your business is dealing in one of these types of skilled areas don't use the word. You mentioned fuel systems so the workers wouldn't be Syoukunin.

Koujounin, if used is rarely used. I can't remember hearing it used in a meeting.

The word you are looking for is Sagyounin. This is usually used for the line or factory worker.

[Charles]

Roudousya is more like a blue collar worker, or as you mentioned manual labor. Sometimes can be non-permanent (expendable). Could also have a negative conotation depending on use... The word you are looking for is Sagyounin. This is usually used for the line or factory worker.

That sounds familiar. I was giving a speech about factory workers so in that context it would be negative to refer to them as manual laborers.

Of course when you just pop "workers" into a dictionary, "roudousha" pops up first, so it is hard to make these subtle distinctions without hearing them in context. And I was only a 2nd year student at the time, so what the hell would I know?

[Kanchou]

Neato... I'll keep that in mind.

[Kanchou]

I got the job... it's a temporary part-time position until they have some Japanese who are English-proficient come to work there, but that's good enough for me...

Seems like I'll be doing more man-two-man translation than interpreting meetings (although it might be a better idea just for me to write everything down and then translate it later).