Mr. Kazuyuki Hirasawa, who has worked at the Australian Embassy in Tokyo since 1999, will give a talk entitled “Translation and Interpreting from a Diplomatic Perspective.”
This seminar will provide a rare opportunity for gaining an insight about translation and interpreting by a professional working inside an embassy in Tokyo. Tokyo Activities Committee looks forward to your participation. (This seminar will be held in Japanese.)
Speaker: Kazuyuki Hirasawa
Date: May 17, 2014
Time: 14:00-17:00
Doors open: 13:30
Venue: Forum 8, Shibuya
Address: Dogenzaka 2-10-7, Shibuya, Tokyo 150-0043 Phone: 03-3780-0008
Cost: JAT members 1,000 yen; non-members 3,000 yen (advance registration is not necessary)
*Please note new TAC fee structure
(Details: http://jat.org/news/show/change_in_tac_seminar_attendance_fees/)
Koryukai: From 17:15 (advance registration is not necessary, register and pay at seminar reception)
Venue: B.Y.G http://www.byg.co.jp/access/index_access.html
Dogenzaka 2-19-14, Shibuya Phone: 03-3461-8574
Cost: 2,000 yen (Food only/cash bar)
Inquiries: [email protected]
As an in-house interpreter and/or translator for an embassy, you are an embassy officer first before an interpreter or a translator. You have to prioritise the national interests of the country you serve. However, national interests are constantly shifting, so you always have to be aware of any changes in the priorities of the embassy you work for. With translation, most of the original English in Australian foreign ministers’ press releases has been carefully thought out from a diplomatic perspective. You have to understand the background and the reason for each release and then translate it concisely and accurately to avoid misunderstanding. Of course, accuracy is the most important part of interpreting too. However, as a range of topics may be raised at the functions to which you are assigned, you also need to maintain a strong interest in and prepare yourself for as many areas as possible. Ideally, you should know the concerns of each of the participants, while also being able to enjoy the conversation yourself. Another key point is that knowing who will be taking part tells you what is likely to be the main focus of discussion.
About the speaker:
Mr Hirasawa has worked for the Australian Embassy in Tokyo as a translator/interpreter since 1999. He translates speeches, media releases, and other documents by Australian federal ministers into Japanese for public release by the embassy. As an in-house interpreter, he also works at receptions and events organised by the embassy, regularly providing whispering interpretation at functions involving embassy officers and Japanese guests, including politicians. Before this, Mr Hirasawa worked for a cinema advertising agency for around ten years. He received a BA from Meiji University and a master’s degree in Japanese interpreting and translation from the University of Queensland, Australia.