Japan Association of Translators 日本翻訳者協会

History

The Japan Association of Translators (JAT) was founded in May 1985 as a means for individual translators to exchange information and insight, thereby helping each other not just to do a better job for their clients but a more rewarding one for themselves as well.

JAT started out as a special interest group of the Society of Writers, Editors, and Translators, but its members quickly realized that a separate organization for translators would provide a more intense forum for meeting the needs of professional translators.

Even at JAT’s first meeting, a conscious decision was made that membership would be open only to individuals. It is, after all, individuals - not agencies -
who do translation, and the interests of the individual translators have to be primary to the profession’s advancement. JAT has only one class of members - individual members who are translators, or who are interested in translation, and support the organization’s purposes.

At present, JAT has a membership of about 400 people. This group includes J-E and E-J translators living and working in Japan and elsewhere. With the Internet-assisted collapse of borders separating translators,
it is not surprising that JAT’s membership should spread geographically, and as of this writing about 40% of JAT members live outside Japan. Interpreters are also active in JAT and lend another type of diversity to the organization.

In 2001 JAT became an incorporated non-profit organization
under Japanese law.

Meetings

JAT’s Tokyo Activities Committee sponsors meetings in Tokyo on the third Saturday of many months.
Meetings are held at Forum 8 in Shibuya. Meeting topics span the entire spectrum of issues that interest working translation professionals. In addition to the more obvious topics of practical translation problems,
JAT members have enjoyed meetings on topics that are peripheral but pertinent to translators - industries requiring translation services, tax problems, forming a company, and selling personal translation services being just a few examples.

Membership Directory

JAT maintains an online directory of its members, updated every day. The directory, which
includes only those members who wish to be listed, and which
is openly available on the website, offers a medium for members
to advertise their professional services.

Electronic Networking

JAT operates a members-only electronic mailing list that is used primarily as a means for JAT members to discuss translation issues and non-translation issues related to JAT. Since it is viewed by only JAT members, the JAT-LIST is a better forum for some subjects than the open-to-all HONYAKU list.

Relations with Other Organizations

JAT maintains an active relationship with other groups of translators in Japan and elsewhere. Since 1994, JAT has been an associate member of the International Federation of Translators (FIT).

IJET Conferences

JAT’s single largest ongoing project is the organization of the IJET Conference held every other year in Japan. JAT selects venues for IJET conferences worldwide, and directly organizes IJET Conferences in Japan. On alternate years, IJET conferences have been held outside Japan under the auspices of a local translation group.

IJET is quite possibly the only international conference for professional translators to be devoted exclusively to Japanese/English translation issues.

The first International Japanese/English Translation Conference (IJET-1) was held May 26-27,1990, in Hakone, Japan. This conference, organized by the JAT Directors and volunteers, attracted 130 people, including 22 who came from outside Japan. The conference was so successful that it was decided to make the IJET conference an annual affair alternating between Japan and another English-speaking country.

Although the IJET program and format differ from year to year depending upon the local organizer’s interests and resources, the focus of all IJET conferences is on helping translators and interpreters share the experience and expertise required to enable them to do better work.

Becoming a JAT Member

JAT membership is open to all individuals interested in Japanese/English and English/Japanese translation and interpretation. There are no particular professional qualifications necessary to join JAT.
For further information, please see the Joining JAT section of the FAQ.