The JAT board is pleased to announce that starting today, we'll be releasing full videos of several presentations from IJET-19, for our far-flung membership to enjoy. We hope that these videos will be a good resource for those who couldn't make it to Okinawa (or who could but couldn't make it out of bed in time).

We're kicking off the series with the following presentation from JAT director-elect Chris Blakeslee:

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Title: Raising Productivity with Speech Recognition
Speaker: Chris Blakeslee

Abstract: When the translation industry made the leap a few decades ago to computer-based word processing, it left its typewriters behind. The next big leap, to speech recognition, does not require leaving our keyboards behind. Not only will I introduce you to this awesome technology, I will convince you to give it a try, or another try if your first attempt (like mine seven years ago) did not work out so well. My presentation includes a rarely attempted live demo, the equivalent of a trapeze artist performing without a net. As an added bonus, I'll unveil my productivity-boosting, zero-gravity cockpit layout. Get ready to strap in!



(Note that these videos are available for members only. The password required to view the videos can be found on the JAT mailing list.)

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We'll be announcing more videos as we continue post-editing over the next few weeks and months, so stay tuned!

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JAT会員の皆様

特定非営利活動法人日本翻訳者協会
理事長 井隼眞奈子（Manako Ihaya）

このたび2008年5月17日（土）１３時３０分より１４時００分、フォーラム８（住所：渋谷区道玄坂２－１０－７　電話番号：03-3780-0008）にて本協会の通常総会を開催することになりましたので、出席下さいますよう御案内申し上げます。

つきましては詳細をクリックしてごらんください。

宜しくお願いします。

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JAT's May meeting will be held on Saturday, May 17th, from 14:00pm to 17:00, followed by karaoke. Details follow.

May Meeting: Post IJET & Annual General Meeting
Date: Saturday, May 17, 2008
Time: 13:30 – 17:00
Meeting Place: Forum 8
Address: Dogenzaka 2-10-7, Shibuya, Tokyo
Phone: 03-3780-0008
Cost: Free for JAT members, JPY1000 for non-members

Speakers: Mayumi Toyota, Phil Robertson, Toby Rushbrook, Yukihiro Sato, and Ben Davis

Presentation Outline:
The speakers will regale the audience with the tales of derring-do at IJET, especially the remarkable presentations put on by the plethora of volunteers, and the JAT Board will also give the report on JAT’s activities this past year for the Annual General Meeting.

A nijikai will be held after the meeting, at Punraku.

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The 2008 JAT Election Committee is pleased to announce the list of
candidates standing for director or auditor in this year's elections.
First of all, the committee would like to thank each candidate for
stepping forward. Without your contribution, JAT cannot continue to
function in its proper form.

Also, if there are any persons who believe that they should be on the
list(s), but are not, please send a mail to election2008@jat.org

Once again, we remind members that voting runs from April 5 to 26.
Details concerning how the voting will be carried out will be announced
in good time before the start date. Please use the period before voting
starts to look at the candidate statements. Questions directed to a
particular candidacy may be sent directly to the candidate, or if
appropriate, posted on the JAT list. Questions concerning election
details should be sent to election2008@jat.org

2008 JAT Election Committee
Koji Himeno (Chair)
Takaaki Aono (Promoter)
Duncan Dance (Promoter)

Candidates standing for director

佐藤　研太（Kenta Sato）

プロファイル
性別：男性
国籍：日本

「2010年からのＪＡＴ日本翻訳者協会の役割を目指して」
ある日本人フリ－ランス翻訳者の理解の各業種間での企業と翻訳とは、すみやかに世界中に向けて30ヶ国語で言語サービス情報発信しなければならないと言うことである。私が最初にＪＡＴ翻訳者を正式登録したのが1994年それ以来、常にこの「ＪＡＴ日本翻訳者協会」は自他ともに日英翻訳コミュニティとしてはグローバルな言語アイデンティティを目指す翻訳業界全体に技術、実務、法律、MTI医学、ビデオ等、広範なＩＴ翻訳活動団体という法人事業体を通じての情報発信の展開と登録市民権を勝ち取る為の闘いが長く継続していたような気がする。
だが果たして現代日本の企業活動の多次元言語コミュニティ翻訳業界は日本発の情報提供の要となるべき日英翻訳のあり方を真剣に共に考えて検討しそれに値する最善の翻訳環境を達成できる方向付けが出来ているビジネス活動環境にあるのだろうか？ＪＡＴの非営利ＮＰＯ法人活動の事業組織目的としての運命は如何に．．．。確かに重要な翻訳技術エレメントは数限りなく提示できるだろうしグローバルな「会話する情報の素―早い加工」と企業からのニュース発信、語彙、WIKI、MT/TM、ターミノロジー表現、ＩＳＯ／ＪＡＳ特許申請、ロングマン医薬学辞書からのGUI多次元言語アクティブ　ディレクトリー形成構築等々でも、翻訳者としてではなく通訳者する言語コミュニティが優先する場合も多数ある。今、理事として実現するべき目標、ＪＡＴ日本翻訳者協会の全ての事業活動とアウトリーチ活動をさらに高次元にする「翻訳者学習教育の躍動です！」。全て重要エレメントが参加するＪＡＴの事業主体の将来性を占うものが「心はインハウス＆フリーランスなのだ！」広範囲な仕事コミュニティ連携では私に活動チャンスをいただきたい、市民権と実現できるＪＡＴ新理事を提案いたします。

杉山範雄（Norio Sugiyama）

プロファイル
性別：男性
国籍：日本

２００８年度のＪＡＴ理事に立候補します。日本語と英語の翻訳／通訳業にたず
さわっている方々の情報交換などの交流を進めて行きたいと思います。特に自分
の専門分野である特許翻訳は、最近関心が高いですが、この分野について日本人
同士の交流＆英語ネイティブと日本人との間の交流を進めることができたらと思
います。よろしくお願いします。

Minoru Mochizuki (望月　稔)

Profile
Gender: M
Nationality: Japanese

I wish to nominate myself to be a director of the Board of JAT.
The reasons why I think I am eligible for a director are as follows:

1. I have been a JAT member since the first IJET held in Hakone (that's how I remember how long I have been the member; please don't ask me in what year it was) so I know a few people and know a few things.

2. I have always been interested in the activities of JAT and have made some friends and foes among the members because my that interest. If I cared less about the activities of JAT, I would not have opined on any subjects. When a person speaks out, one can get friends and foes.

3. I can think about any issues and probably will be able state my opinions about those issues from the standpoint of a JAT member and a translator with an experience of at least 15 years. I consider myself a free thinker.

4. I can write and speak in both Japanese and in English (although my English speech may not be fluent as other people think as a director ought to be). I can hear other people's opinion in both languages although anyone who wishes to speak in English must speak rather slowly and in simple words and sentence structures. I will probably pretend that I have hearing problem if someone expresses something I don't want to hear.

5. I live in Japan, not so distant from Tokyo (door to door travel time from my home to a place in Tokyo is approximately 1.5 hours).

6. I feel I ought to tell you about my shortcomings as well so that you can make a fair judgment and deny me. My shortcomings are:
a) I am not too good clerically
b) I am clumsy and may spill liquid on paper or punch holes in wrong places
c) I am not that interested in coordinating other people or find a compromise in opposing opinions as I believe people have different opinions. Decisions by voting sound fine with me.
d) I don't want to bear any heart-wrenching decision making responsibility as it is bad for my health and I care for my health.
e) I may be irresponsible in some cases as I am volunteering for this job primarily for my curiosity.
f) I may get tired too easily
g) I don't like to be exposed to smoke or to attend any meeting where someone smokes

Chris Blakeslee

Profile
Gender: M
Nationality: US

With over a decade as a JAT member without ever having served as a director, my time has probably come. It has occurred to me that I may even enjoy repaying my debt to the JE translation community by donating my time toward keeping JAT running smoothly, and do think the current cast of characters now serving as directors would be fun to work with. I hereby throw my hat into the ring, but promise not to begin dancing around it until the last vote is cast.

James Phillips

Profile
Gender: Male
Nationality: Dual (British/Irish)

I would like to apply for the position of director with the intent of serving as Tokyo Activities Committee (TAC) liaison if possible. JAT can be a useful resource for its members and its role will become more important as the environment the translator has to work in becomes ever more perplexing. The advent of so many new technologies and potential ways of working can be bewildering. I would like to volunteer to put my technical background to good use in helping investigate new technology and show that new technology is not something to fear. I would keep a close eye on all the new technology that becomes available and how such technology can help keep translators competitive and hopefully make their efforts more profitable. Hopefully we can keep it fun at the same time, as the typical translator already has more than enough stress to deal with in their day job . . .

Manako Ihaya (井隼眞奈子)

Profile
Gender: Female
Nationality: Japan

I have had the privilege to serve on the JAT Board for the past two years (as President for the past year), and feel that another two years would enable me to help make JAT an even better organization to serve our members. Last year, with the help of the Board and other JAT members, I was able to see to it that we finally get a professional opinion (actually, three) on tax-withholding issues faced by those of us who live outside Japan and earn income from clients based in Japan. My hope if I get re-elected is to continue to see that JAT serves members both in Japan and abroad, perhaps by working on a more systematic effort to organize local meetings outside Tokyo, where traditionally, successful meetings have been held thanks to great work by mostly Tokyo-based members.

Alan Siegrist (アラン・シーグリスト)

Profile
Gender: Male
Nationality: USA

I have been a JAT member for many years and I have benefitted greatly from all of the wonderful things that JAT has done for me and the rest of the JAT membership, including the sponsorship of the fabulously successful IJET conferences, and I think it is about time to repay this debt by volunteering to serve on the JAT Board.

If elected, I hope to be able to continue to provide such services and benefits to the JAT membership and offer what help I can to allow this fine organization to continue doing what it does best.

I have served on several IJET organizing committees and these experiences have always been positive. I look forward to a similarly positive experience from serving on the JAT Board if elected.

Candidates standing for auditor

Wolfgang Bechstein

Profile
Gender: M
Nationality: German

As 2.7 percent of the JAT membership may know, I served as a JAT auditor
for the past two years. This was a valuable opportunity for me to
understand a bit better what makes this organization--whose member I've
been for more years than I care to remember--tick. I familiarized myself
with the teikan and the Bylaws and hit the directors over the head with
them at every possible opportunity. I did look at and tried to
understand the figures on our financial statements and verified them as
best as I could (and am glad to report that I detected no misuse of
funds). I also listened in and took part in board discussions on all
matters pertaining to the running of the organization, although as an
auditor I do not have a vote when it comes down to actually deciding
things. Because of this last fact, I originally intended to run for
director this time around, but decided to run for auditor once more. I
think I can still achieve something that way, and now that I know at
least some of the ropes, I thought I'd try pulling on them some more. I
intend to work towards the highest degree of openness possible in the
dealings of the board, and I will endeavor to keep JAT members informed
of what is bubbling beneath the surface.

千桝靖 (Kiyoshi Chimasu)

プロファイル
性別：男
国籍：日本
声明文：お役に立てるように、微力ながら努力いたします。よろしくお願い致します。

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The winners of the 4th Annual JAT Contest for New and Aspiring Translators have been announced, for both the Japanese to English and English to Japanese sections.

Congratulations to all the finalists and winners, and thanks again to the contest organizers (Mike Sekine and Karen Sandness) and judges (Junko Ogawara, Emily Shibata-Sato, Yukari Ishihara, Malcolm James, Steven Venti, Ken Wagner, Kiyoshi Chimasu, and Sophie Natsusato) for their hard work.

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In an illustrated presentation, Frederik L. Schodt will discuss how Tezuka Osamu created his most famous manga and anime character, and also created the template for the current global manga and anime revolution. The translator of the 23-volume Astro Boy manga, Fred will also comment on the process of localizing the Tetsuwan Atomu/Astro Boy manga, as well as the original anime.

Date: Saturday, March 22, 2008
Time: 14:00 - 17:00
Meeting Place: Forum 8, Room 1206
Address: Dogenzaka 2-10-7, Shibuya, Tokyo
Phone: 03-3780-0008
Cost: Free for JAT members, ¥1000 for non-members

Speaker Introduction:

Frederik L. Schodt is a San Francisco-based writer, translator, and conference interpreter. He has writtenextensively on Japanese pop culture, technology, and history, and he has translated numerous manga. In 2000, he won the special prize of the Asahi Shinbun's Osamu Tezuka Culture Award, for his work in popularizing manga overseas. He frequently served as Osamu Tezuka's interpreter on his trips to North America from 1978 into the eighties.

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JAT's March meeting will be held on Saturday, March 15, 2008, from 2:00pm to 6:00pm, followed by karaoke. Details follow.

Subject: Pre -IJET Networking - Japanese and English Business Correspondence for What If Situations and President's Reception
Moderators: Kiyoko Sagane and Lisa Hew
Date: Saturday, March 15, 2008
Time: 14:00 - 18:00
Meeting Place: Tanto Tanto Shibuya (restaurant), 8F of Tokyu Bunkamura
TEL: 03-3477-3881
Cost: JPY4,500 (JPY4,000 for JAT members)

RSVP here, and feel free to contact us with any questions.

Helen, Kiyoko, & Lisa
Tokyo Activities Committee

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日本翻訳者協会は通訳翻訳ジャーナルとタッグを組んで、2008年春号（発売中！）から新しい連載企画をスタートしました。日本翻訳者協会としては久々の大プロジェクトであり、通訳翻訳ジャーナルではおそらく初となる英語記事の掲載ということもあり、今後も力を入れて頑張っていきたいと思います。

初回は特許翻訳者・ジェームス・フィリップスさんで、Thoughts and tips on becoming a patent translator （特許翻訳への道　成功するために）と題された記事です。特許翻訳におけるよくある質問に分かりやすく答える内容です。オリジナルの英文は5月に本サイトにおいて公開されます（次号発売後）が、本人訳の日本語版はこちらからご覧になれます。

次号はEmily Shibata-Sato（佐藤綾子）さんです。

通訳翻訳ウェブ

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