Global LTS provides professional Japanese translation services for UK businesses and individuals, covering translation in both directions across all document types and sectors. Japan is the UK’s thirteenth largest trading partner, with significant bilateral trade in automotive, electronics, pharmaceuticals, financial services, food and drink, and professional services. Our Japanese translators are native speakers with sector-specific expertise, working within our ISO 17100:2015 certified process. Get a free quote.
Japanese is written using three scripts, all of which appear simultaneously in standard written Japanese.
Kanji (漢字) are Chinese-derived characters used for nouns, verb stems, and most content words. The Japanese Ministry of Education designates 2,136 kanji as the standard set for general use. Technical and business writing relies heavily on kanji for precise meaning.
Hiragana (ひらがな) is a phonetic syllabary used for grammatical elements. Verb endings, particles, and conjunctions that connect kanji-based words.
Katakana (カタカナ) is a second phonetic syllabary used for foreign loanwords, technical terminology borrowed from other languages, and brand names. Many English technical terms used in Japanese are rendered in katakana. “Computer” becomes コンピュータ; “marketing” becomes マーケティング. Using the established katakana form, rather than inventing a new one, is important for credibility with Japanese readers.
You do not need to specify which scripts to use. A professional Japanese translator applies all three correctly as a matter of standard practice. What matters is specifying your target audience and the register required.
Important: Japanese and Chinese are entirely different languages. Although kanji originated in Chinese, written Japanese and written Chinese have different grammar, different reading conventions, and different meaning associations for many shared characters. A Chinese translator cannot translate Japanese.
Japanese business communication uses a formal honorific language system called keigo (敬語) that encodes the social relationship between writer and reader directly into the grammar and vocabulary of the text. Keigo is not a style choice. It is a grammatical requirement of all professional Japanese communication, and using the wrong level of formality is immediately apparent to Japanese readers.
Keigo has three components, used simultaneously in business writing:
Different document types require different keigo treatment. A business email to a senior executive, a product user manual, and a consumer marketing brochure each use different register. Our translators apply the correct register for each document type without additional briefing. See our post on keigo and register in Japanese business translation for a detailed explanation.
Japanese text translated from English typically runs 40 to 60 per cent shorter than the English source. This is the most dramatic text contraction of any language Global LTS works with, and it has direct practical implications for design and layout.
A designed brochure, website, or user interface that accommodates English text will have considerably more white space in its Japanese version. For businesses producing bilingual or Japanese-specific designed documents, packaging, or websites, account for this from the start of the design process rather than retrofitting.
Japan is one of the world’s major automotive manufacturing nations. UK-Japan automotive relationships span supply chain, technology licensing, and joint ventures. Technical documentation, component specifications, and engineering contracts regularly flow in both directions. Our automotive translators understand the terminology conventions of the industry in both English and Japanese.
Japan’s electronics sector generates significant translation requirements for product documentation, software localisation, technical specifications, and intellectual property agreements. Software localisation for the Japanese market requires attention to UI string length, katakana conventions for technical terms, and character encoding.
Products entering the Japanese market must meet PMDA regulatory requirements, which include Japanese-language clinical documentation, labelling, and regulatory submissions. We have translators with pharmaceutical expertise and familiarity with PMDA requirements. See our medical translation services for more detail.
Investment documentation, fund prospectuses, regulatory filings, and financial reporting for Japanese subsidiaries or partnerships require translators familiar with both UK and Japanese financial conventions and regulatory terminology.
UK manufacturers supplying equipment or components to Japanese customers, or sourcing from Japanese suppliers, require technical translation in both directions. See our technical translation services page.
Japanese food labelling regulations require specific mandatory information in Japanese, including allergen declarations and additive information. UK food businesses exporting to Japan need Japanese-language labelling compliant with Japanese food standards.
Commercial contracts between UK and Japanese parties, IP agreements, patent documentation, and certified personal documents for individuals with UK-Japan connections.
We review your documents, confirm the audience, register, and any terminology requirements, and set up or update your project glossary in MemoQ. If you have existing Japanese translations, we incorporate them into translation memory so terminology is consistent with your previous materials.
We assign a native Japanese translator with expertise in your specific sector. All translators have a minimum of five years of specialist translation experience and hold relevant subject qualifications.
We use MemoQ translation memory on all Japanese projects. MemoQ stores approved term pairs and applies them consistently throughout the document, flagging any inconsistency. For ongoing clients, translation memory accumulates across all projects, ensuring consistency over time and reducing cost on repeated content.
Every Japanese translation is reviewed by a second qualified linguist before delivery. This is a requirement of our ISO 17100:2015 certified process. The reviewer checks for accuracy, keigo correctness, terminology consistency, and target-language fluency.
We deliver in the format you need: Word, PDF, InDesign, XML, or native software format. For designed documents, we handle DTP to ensure the Japanese text fits correctly within the original layout, accounting for the significant text contraction that occurs when translating from English.
We provide certified Japanese translations for official submissions, visa applications, court proceedings, and regulated purposes. Each certified translation includes a signed statement of accuracy with the translator’s name and contact details, and is accepted by UKVI, the Home Office, HM Passport Office, and UK courts.
Common Japanese documents requiring certified translation include koseki extracts (family register), birth and marriage certificates, academic transcripts, company registration documents, and court records. See our guide to certified Japanese translation in the UK for full details, or visit our certified translation services page.
No. Standard written Japanese uses all three scripts simultaneously. Kanji, hiragana, and katakana. Following established conventions. A professional Japanese translator applies the correct scripts automatically. What you should specify is the target audience and register, which affects vocabulary and formality level.
Keigo is the Japanese honorific register system used in all professional communication. You do not need to brief it in detail. A native Japanese translator with business writing experience applies the correct register for each document type automatically. What helps is specifying the relationship between writer and reader, and the document type.
Yes. We translate in both directions with equal quality. UK businesses receiving Japanese contracts, technical documentation, or correspondence from Japanese partners are as well served as those producing Japanese-language content for the Japanese market.
Less. Significantly less. Japanese text translated from English contracts by 40 to 60 per cent. A designed document or website built around English text will have considerably more white space in its Japanese version. Plan for this in layout from the start.
Yes. Products sold in Japan must carry Japanese-language documentation and labelling compliant with Japanese regulations. For pharmaceuticals, medical devices, food products, and consumer electronics, specific regulatory requirements apply. We have translators with sector-specific experience across these categories.
Standard projects of up to 2,000 words typically take three to five working days. Longer or more complex projects are quoted with a timeline after briefing. Urgent turnaround is available on request.
Yes. We provide certified Japanese translations with a signed statement of accuracy for official, legal, and immigration purposes.
Ready to start your Japanese translation project? Contact Global LTS with your documents and requirements for a free, no-obligation quote.
Standard written Japanese uses all three scripts simultaneously — kanji, hiragana, and katakana — following established conventions for when each is appropriate. You do not need to specify which scripts to use; a professional Japanese translator applies the correct scripts as a matter of standard practice. What you should specify is the target audience (consumer, business, technical) and the register (formal business, consumer-facing, etc.), which affects vocabulary choices and keigo level.
Keigo is the Japanese system of formal honorific language that encodes the social relationship between writer and reader directly into the grammar and vocabulary of the text. All professional and business communication in Japanese uses keigo. Using the wrong level of formality — or no formal register at all — is immediately apparent to Japanese readers and reflects poorly on the business producing the content. Our translators apply the correct register for each document type without additional briefing.
Yes. We provide professional translation in both directions. English to Japanese for businesses producing Japanese-language documentation, marketing materials, or product content. Japanese to English for businesses receiving Japanese contracts, technical specifications, or correspondence that UK teams need to understand.
Japanese is one of the more complex languages to translate between English and, accordingly, rates are typically higher than for major European languages. Translation is priced per source word, with rates varying by document type, subject matter, and turnaround. Contact us with your documents for a free quote.
Less — significantly less. Japanese text translated from English typically contracts by 40 to 60 per cent. A designed document, website, or packaging layout that accommodates English text will have considerably more white space in its Japanese version. If you are producing bilingual or Japanese-specific designed materials, account for this in your layout from the start.
Yes. Products sold in Japan must carry Japanese-language documentation and labelling compliant with Japanese regulations. For food products, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and consumer electronics, specific regulatory requirements apply. We have translators with sector-specific experience across these categories. Contact us to discuss your requirements.