Greeting from president

In early December, my wife Eileen and I went to Japan to exhibit atSEMICON JAPAN. Eileen wrote an insightful cross-cultural article for thisHonyaku Talk to share our experiences at the tradeshow. So I will write about some new, interesting findings and changes we found in Japan through thisbusiness trip.

1. PASMO

This is a non-contact type IC electronic card for public transportation systemsin Kanto area, Japan. In Tokyo, particularly, there are so many public transportation systems available, including JR lines, private railways, subways, monorails and buses. Passengers had to purchase each ticket per transportation system; but not any more due to introduction of PASMO this year spring. Once you purchased PASMO based on your choice of amount (\1,000 to \10,000) in advance, you can use this PASMO for whichever railway systems you need to ride. You can increase the amount at the PASMO ticket machine to the existing PASMO, as well.

Since PASMO has become so popular in the Tokyo area, many railway stations have installed automated ticket gates for exclusively PASMO. I lined up to the line for PASMO exclusive ticket gate, but I had only regular printed ticket. I was so embarrassed to enter the PASMO line only to be redirected to the machine to accept regular ticket. I have never seen the machine that only accepted PASMO before.

2. New Cellular Phone

In TV commercials, there are so many ads for new cellular phones with new functions. Each Japanese major electronic company is introducing fancy, sophisticated, brand new cell phones. I do not remember each company's unique, special-features; but one company's ad caught my attention. Their cell phone has a built-in camera of course, however, take a photo of a business card, and the phone organizing software automatically sets name, company, email, telephone number, etc. in order. During tradeshows or conferences, I receive so many business cards that this new, unique function could save me the headache of organizing business card in a quick and timely manner.

3. Cold house inside and warm in toilet seat

Usually Japanese house does not have central heating system, so each room has to be warmed up separately with individual heating appliance. I have a small house in east side of Tokyo; but no central heating system. The kitchen and washstand each have a small water heater. We use electric heaters, a coal-oil stove, the warm air-conditioner setting, and electric heating carpets. But when we got home from work, inside the house is pretty cold. However, one place you will find always nice and warm is the toilet seat. Most Japanese toilet seats are heated by electricity during the wintertime and it is very comfortable. I have never seen this in the US, and I was so chilled when I got back to my home in Oregon. Our toilet seat is cold, even the house is entirely heated.

I wish everyone A Happy Holiday Season and best wishes for 2008!

Ken Sakai
President

Ken Sakai
President

"Honyaku Kotohajime" (Beginnings of Translation) - No. 61
"Acquiring Translation Assets through Translation Memory"

Pacific Dreams, Inc. has been building up a vast Translation Memory (TM) through the utilization of the translation software, TRADOS. It has been seven years since our company introduced TRADOS as part of our translation services. One thing we have realized from our increased experience with TRADOS is that TM will indeed become a valuable asset for repeat clients. After each translation, the TM volume increases, improving the quality and precision. Thus, this process builds a valuable database for client's companies. In a sense, although the nature of investment is different, this is similar to managing an asset by depositing available funds into a pension or other savings programs.

In general, people prepare for their future and retirement by saving in various forms through their work or on their own. Similarly, TM effectively stocks up terms, expressions, and industry jargon in sentences from translated documents. As personal assets are managed through an effective use of corporate 401(k) plans or other pension plans, documentation is managed for companies through a translation firm that uses computer aided translation software, utilizing TM. As there are financial planners at asset management companies, there are project coordinators at Pacific Dreams, Inc who manage TM in the most effective way possible. Consequently, the translation company will be able to implement translated documentation content management.

In managing a 401(k) plans and other pension programs, once you have chosen an asset management company and plan, you rely on the asset management company to manage everything correctly. In other words, there should be no need for you to trade stocks or check the stock market daily. We can say the same thing about document translation. Once you have decided to have a translation firm to translate a document and as well as manage the TM, it is not necessary for your company to purchase computer aided translation software such as TRADOS, which is costly and requires specialized technical skill to operate. Although it is common for companies to hire outside management of their 401(k) funds, besides a few specialized IT companies, corporate partnership with translation companies is rare. On the one hand, there are experts in managing 401(k) plans who develop their skills as financial planners in asset managing companies. On the other hand, we have not reached the level of developing such experts in translation companies or in the translation industry. I believe this is still an undeniable fact of life.

However, I had a feeling when I found and decided to use TRADOS over seven years ago that one day the business model which I have described would emerge extensively in the translation industry. When considering how to swim across the endless sea of languages, you need the right tools, know-how, and a plan to make it happen. Without these, even an expert linguist cannot accomplish consistent, high-quality translation, and projects wind up lost at sea. As I mentioned above, there are many issues, due to it's user-unfriendly nature, that must be resolved for TRADOS use. However, it is unquestionably true for us, deciding to use TRADOS was a great move towards successfully swimming through that sea of languages. TRADOS has become one of our most essential tools. Currently, we are engaged in the software side of the issue seeking to optimize our tools and increase our proficiency through experience using the tools to manage our customers' translation documents.

It seems that most companies have not yet recognized the value of TM. It is an asset that is created and enhanced through the translation process and TM will continually improve future translations. Getting companies to recognize that fact can be a significant challenge for translation firms. It is obvious convincing companies of TRADOS' value will require us to make steady efforts and continually introduce and educate our customers on the software's advantages. Creating and maintaining a TM as a translation asset is an opportunity to for both the customer and the translation company to produce additional value over the long term. I would hope that one day in the near future we would see a skilled planner emerge from our company, who is capable of designing an even better system of asset management for our customers' translation documents and who proactively offers proposals to our customers.

Ken Sakai
President
E-mail: KenFSakai@pacificdreams.org

Becoming Culturally Connected or How to Plug into a Culture

At the largest semiconductor industry tradeshow in the world, SEMICON JAPAN, in Makuhari Messe in Chiba City, Japan I experienced a deeper understanding of what being culturally connected is all about. Operating in cultural context is vitally important. I observed the following scenarios as I was sitting at our booth in the "Innovation Hall".

A businesswoman from Singapore approached a booth near us and insisted on speaking English to the Japanese salesmen in the booth. She demanded in rapid English that the Japanese company make her their "agent". " I be your agent!" she emphatically repeated in English. The Japanese businessmen tried to convince her that an English speaking person would be available later in the day and she could talk with him, and that they didn't have agents; however, if she would speak with their English interpreter later in the day, perhaps he could help her. After several more attempts, each one louder than the previous, she finally ceased her demands, foisted her business card upon them and shook her head and angrily strode away.

Next a couple of businessmen from India came by. They also did not speak Japanese, however, they handed an introductory business card to the Japanese businessmen, presumably from an associate, waited politely while the Japanese businessmen conferred among themselves about the card and then the visiting businessmen were invited to sit down in another area in the booth, their badges were scanned, they received a gift and were given coffee and an audience. The difference between these two scenarios greatly impacted me. Neither non-Japanese person spoke Japanese, yet the Cultural awareness and sensitivity was immediately apparent in observing how the businessmen from India conducted business as compared to the culturally insensitive businesswoman from Singapore.

As I observed this interaction, I realized how extremely important it is to be culturally aware or connected. It really is more important to be culturally aware than it is to initially know the language. I observed people from all over the world interacting in this huge tradeshow environment. It certainly is interesting how important cultural context is regardless of the language ability! And without being plugged in the information flow is nonexistent.

I realized that at a tradeshow like this, that it is much more than mono or dual cultures e.g. Japan to USA or visa versa, but rather about world cultures; Chinese, Singapore, Malaysian, Korean, Japanese, Indian, European, Russian, American etc. Initially it is less about language and more about cultural context to make the connection. After the connection is made then the language becomes important along with the cultural understanding. Ultimately it can be compared to connecting to the Internet, it can happen anywhere in the world but if you aren't "plugged in" or culturally connected, you cannot make anything happen whatsoever. The connection is at the cultural level, in context, then the information can flow more readily and collaboration can occur.

Eileen Foster-Sakai
Vice President
Pacific Dreams, Inc.

Pacific Dreams, Inc.
25260 SW Parkway Avenue, Suite D
Wilsonville, OR 97070

TEL: 503-783-1390
FAX: 503-783-1391