Frequently Asked Questions

Q.We have to review a high volume of Japanese documents – how can you help?
A.

We can assist the attorneys managing the document review project in a number of ways. We can review “hot” documents to prioritize them in a translation queue based on relevance and significance. We can also provide an easy-to-review summary of “hot” documents in lieu of a full translation to allow the case attorneys to identify those documents requiring full translations, resulting in savings in both time and money. We work closely with project managers in ensuring that the Japanese language review is conducted properly. We work with staffing agencies by assessing the language capabilities of potential candidates.
We understand the challenging nature of running a foreign language document review project. By having us be a part of your document review project, you can be rest assured that the risk of critical Japanese language documents being missed is minimized, and the cost of “unnecessary” translations is reduced significantly.

Let us bring our experience to your Japanese language document review.

Q.Our firm requires an online language test for document review projects in foreign languages including Japanese. Isn’t that sufficient to ensure the candidate’s skill level for language comprehension?
A.

Although online technology has advanced at a rapid rate, unfortunately, these tests are only able to evaluate a very limited set of language skills. We can provide assistance with reviewing resumes, conducting phone interviews and preparing a language comprehension test that is best suited to your project’s needs. It can be difficult to assess someone’s skill when the skill in question is a foreign language; we can provide you with reliable assistance.

Q.My business is not located in Washington, D.C. Can you still provide assistance with my Japanese language needs?
A.

Yes, we can. We can work remotely by providing our database services, which allow our clients to access their proprietary information via our secure web site connection. Therefore, most of our services are available to those located outside of the Washington, D.C. area, as we are capable of working and communicating effectively with our customers regardless of their location.

Q.How do you transmit sensitive documents online?
A.

We can provide documents securely using endpoint encryption services, or we can set up a customer-specific server for a large case that requires easy access to a large volume of documents.

Q.Why is the quality of translations important?
A.

Although machine-assisted and automated translation techniques are available these days, Japanese remains one of the most delicate and difficult languages to translate. Grammatical structure lacking a subject, use of expressions, and complex levels of formality within the Japanese language means understanding subtle nuances are key in producing an accurate, high-quality translation.
Accurate translations are particularly important in legal proceedings, as we have seen evidence being rejected due to subpar translations. This could result in the added cost of re-translations, which could cost thousands of dollars, and could negatively impact the outcome of the case. In some cases, individuals have been falsely accused of wrongdoing due to a translation error.

Not all translators are created equal.
Our goal is for our clients to produce the most accurate work involving the Japanese language.