About Me
With over ten years' experience in Japan of translating from Japanese to English and vice-versa, in many fields, such as IT, Software Localization, Automotive, Machinery, Legal, Pharmaceutical, and others, I have developed a strong sense of how to produce a translation that is both accurate and maintains the flavour of the original document. Now, based in the UK, I am also available for in-house translations and interpretation within the UK.
Educational Background
1996 BA HONS Chinese/Japanese Studies, Leeds University, Leeds, UK
1991 4 A-Levels, Cardinal Heenan 6th Form College, Liverpool, UK
1990 2 AS-Levels, Cardinal Heenan 6th Form College, Liverpool, UK
1989 8 GCSEs, Cardinal Heenan High School, Liverpool, UK
Additional Education
1992 Kounan University, Kobe, Japan (6 months)
1993 Tianjin University, Tianjin, China (6 months)
Professional Background
2003 – 2007 I worked freelance as Interpreter/Translator, for a large variety of companies all over Japan, including Toyota Motor Corporation, Honda, Denso, Suzuki, Mitsubishi Motors, and the Nagoya Metropolitan Police Force.
2004 – 2006 Assistant Curriculum Coordinator/Consultant, Gifu International Language Centre, Gifu, Japan, working at kindergartens and elementary schools, while making materials for special English courses, as well as regular lessons, plus joining in the classes with the Japanese teachers.
2004 – 2007 Vice Chairman of NPO Family Care Center, providing counseling for families and care for handicapped children.
2002 – 2003 English Instructor/Translator, for BECS English School, Shizuoka, Japan. Whilst teaching English here, I was also responsible for updating student records and activity databases.
2001 – 2002 Curriculum Coordinator, for MEC English School, Nishio, Aichi, Japan. My duties were curriculum design and allocation of classes to individual teachers.
1999 – 2000 English Instructor, for ECC Foreign Language Centre, Nagoya, Japan
1997 - 1998 English Instructor, for NOVA Intercultural Institute, Nagoya, Japan
1995 - 1997 International Advisor, for the foreign students at Leeds University, Leeds, UK
Additional Information
Although a lot of my work has involved English teaching, in all of the language centres I have worked at, I have worked on numerous translation projects. From November, 2003, I have been working freelance as a translator from Japanese to English and vice-versa, working on scientific and medical documents, as well as documents in other fields, such as automobiles, machinery, history, IT, import-export, computer game and software localization, etc. I am experienced in both manual translation and database memory translation (i.e. using TRADOS). I am very skilled in Microsoft Office XP, and am also very familiar with Mac OS X. I am able to say that I am meticulous in my work, and have never missed a deadline.