Japanese Software Translation

In order to ensure that your Japanese software translation is accurate and fully adapted to the Japanese market, you must have your software fully "globalized". While the term "globalization" has many definitions outside of the translation services industry, inside the industry it refers to the basic process of creating software that functions in any market in the world.

Naturally, not every translation company is equipped to perform Japanese software translation, with its many complexities. When searching for a company to translate your software into Japanese, you should investigate their capabilities in the following areas.

Japanese Software Translators

Japanese software translation projects should be executed by professional, native-speaking software translators who specialize in the specific professional and technical areas of your company. They should be experienced with issues related to software translation in particular, such as proper translation of dialog boxes, error messages and buttons, standard user interface terminology and software localization work.

Japanese Software Terminology Management

Japanese software translators should utilize translation memory tools such as Trados to translate the text strings that have been externalized from the various file formats, resulting in client-specific glossaries and terminology databases. The valuable data contained in the translation memories, which becomes the proprietary property of the client, ensures consistent translations throughout the components, and an authentic user experience.

Japanese Software Component Translation

Frequently, a Japanese software translation project will also involve translation of related components, such as online help, printed documentation such as user guides, or packaging. Your software translation company should have the capability to translate text from such source files as: Java, VB and ASP, XML and ASP, C/C++, Visual Basic, Oracle, Microsoft SQL Server and others. Common documentation file types include: FrameMaker, InDesign, QuarkXpress, Illustrator, and Word.

Translating Software into Japanese

If you are considering translating software into Japanese, you will benefit from the state of the Japanese software market: dominated by U.S. imports (91 percent of their total imported packaged software originates in the United States), Japan continues to seek out American software providers. As imports make up almost 50 percent of the total Japanese software market, this situation is likely to continue. (Export America).

Time to market is of utmost importance in maintaining your market share in Japanese speaking regions. Even properly managed, translating software into Japanese can take twice as long as translation into common European languages. In order to ensure the Japanese release is timely while maintaining high quality standards, your translation company should use skilled Japanese translators who can maintain consistency and accuracy under tight deadline pressure, and should include a complete review cycle in their processes.

Consistency is a major linguistic concern in translating software into Japanese. By utilizing translation memory tools such as Trados, Japanese translators should develop client-specific glossaries and terminology databases. This valuable data, which becomes the proprietary property of the client, ensures consistent translations between the user interface and any additional software components being translated (such as documentation or online Help).

Software designed for Japanese markets must achieve a very high standard of accuracy and overall quality because end-users in Japan are extremely concerned with details and aesthetics. A "buggy" product with any functional and/or linguistic errors will generate complaints and requests for discounts. It is far less costly and time consuming to invest time and effort into creating an accurate translation up front, rather than fixing it later.

Translating software into Japanese If you are considering translating software into Japanese, you will benefit from the state of the Japanese software market: dominated by U.S. imports (91 percent of their total imported packaged software originates in the United States), Japan continues to seek out American software providers. As imports make up almost 50 percent of the total Japanese software market, this situation is likely to continue. (Export America) Japanese software localization Japanese software testing Japanese software internationalization Time to market is of utmost importance in maintaining your market share in Japanese speaking regions. Even properly managed, translating software into Japanese can take twice as long as translation into common European languages. In order to ensure the Japanese release is timely while maintaining high quality standards, your translation company should use skilled Japanese translators who can maintain consistency and accuracy under tight deadline pressure, and should include a complete review cycle in their processes. Consistency is a major linguistic concern in translating software into Japanese. By utilizing translation memory tools such as Trados, Japanese translators should develop client-specific glossaries and terminology databases. This valuable data, which becomes the proprietary property of the client, ensures consistent translations between the user interface and any additional software components being translated (such as documentation or online Help). Software designed for Japanese markets must achieve a very high standard of accuracy and overall quality because end-users in Japan are extremely concerned with details and aesthetics. A "buggy" product with any functional and/or linguistic errors will generate complaints and requests for discounts. It is far less costly and time consuming to invest time and effort into creating an accurate translation up front, rather than fixing it later. One way to ensure accuracy and client satisfaction is to include a complete client review in the process, and complete some level of product localization testing. The review phase is critical in ensuring the client approves the terminology glossaries and has a chance to evaluate the translation choices made by the translators (as there are frequently many different ways to accurately translate Japanese words and phrases).

Japanese software localization

Japanese software localization is the process of adapting the language, appearance, and functionality of a software application for the Japanese market. Japanese software localization projects should be executed by experienced teams of localization professionals who work in conjunction with your software development group, ensuring that best practices for global software development are followed.

Localization of Software into Japanese

The process of localization of software into Japanese often includes localization of other components associated with your software product, including online help as well as printed materials such as documentation, packaging, and marketing materials. Before localization of software into Japanese can begin, you will need to provide your localization company with all of the source files referred to as a "Japanese Software Localization Kit".

The information in the Kit allows the localization company to analyze your application and components to determine requirements for localization into Japanese. In addition to the source files themselves, you will be asked to provide file names and types, including an explanation of each file's purpose, as well as reference material (glossaries, past translations, style guide, etc.). Original files of any third-party applications/components used should be included in the kit as well.

Localization Kit for Localization of Software into Japanese
Include all files in your development environment, specifically Resource files (e.g. RC, RC2, DLG, H, HH, CPP, EXE, DLL, and graphic file formats); the location (directories/files) of any hard coded literals which are in the user interface; detailed build instructions (if applicable); test plan and test scripts (if applicable).
Localization Kit for Localization of Online Help files into Japanese
Include the name and version of the Help authoring tools; all Help source files (e.g. graphics, RTF, VBS, HTML, CNT/HHX/HHC).
Localization Kit for Localization of Software Documentation into Japanese Documentation
files, including the name and version of the source applications (e.g. FrameMaker, InDesign, QuarkXpress, Word, PageMaker). Don't forget to include all source graphic files as well, whether or not they need to be localized (e.g. .eps, .psd, .tif, .ai). It is a good idea to supply .pdf files of all original documents as well.

Japanese software internationalization (I18n)

Japanese software globalization (G11n) is a two-step process which includes Japanese software internationalization (I18n) and Japanese software localization (L10n). Software internationalization deals primarily with the backend/functionality of a software application, enabling backend technologies to function or support any language and locale. Localization deals primarily with the front end or linguistic and cosmetic aspects of a software application including locale-specific content, cultural correctness, translations and software design.

The software internationalization process is the first step in ensuring your software application's global interoperability. During Japanese software internationalization, any language- or culture-specific assumptions in your software application's code base (functionality) should be "neutralized"; your application will then be primed for efficient localization into Japanese.

Your localization company should have solid experience in handling Japanese software internationalization issues, including:

Reviewing and analyzing the source code for a software application;
Resolving issues related to Japanese address, time, date, currency, and numerical formats;
Externalizing text strings for ease of Japanese translation, including hard-coded text strings and text within graphics;
Software testing, including bug reporting and fixing.

You will need to provide your localization company with the following information, collectively referred to as a "Software Internationalization Kit." This information allows your localization company to analyze your software and to determine its Japanese internationalization requirements. This kit includes:

1. All files in your development environment, specifically resource files (for example, RC, RC2, DLG, H, HH, CPP, EXE, DLL, and graphic file formats).

2. All documentation source files (for example, InDesign or Word).

3. All online help source files (for example, graphics, RTF, VBS, HTML, CNT/HHX/HHC).

4. Reference material (glossaries, past translations, style guides, etc.).

5. File names and types, including an explanation of each file's purpose.

6. The name and version of development, documentation, and online help authoring tools.

7. The location (directories/files) of any hard-coded literals which are in the user interface.

8. Original files of any third-party applications/components used.

9. Detailed build instructions (if applicable).

10. Test plan and test scripts (if applicable).

Japanese software testing

Japanese software testing is a crucial quality control phase in the process of Japanese software globalization. Target users of Japanese software have the same high standards for functionality as users of the original software. In order to meet the expectations of the Japanese software users, a localization company must use experienced Japanese software testers and follow a defined software testing process.

Whether it is performed on-site or off-site, Japanese software testing should be executed by professional, native-speaking specialists. Working from a thorough test plan and test scripts/cases, the Japanese testing team will use a combination of manual and automated tests as well as bug tracking tools to locate and fix critical software defects before release.

It is very common for Japanese software testing professionals (typically translators and engineers) to work side-by-side with a company's own expert users to perform the following software testing phases:

Japanese Software Internationalization Testing

Before Japanese software translation begins, Japanese software testing professionals test the source language software for international support and localizability. Japanese software internationalization testing saves time and money by exposing potential trouble areas early in the localization process.

Japanese Software Localization Testing

After Japanese software translation, testing specialists review the Japanese software in context to check for any linguistic or cosmetic issues. Linguistic testing deals with all language related issues of a localized application, including currency symbols, locale-specific text, and more. Cosmetic testing deals with all visual issues such as the proper display of menus, messages and dialog boxes.

Japanese Software Functionality Validation or Testing

After your Japanese software has been localized, tests are performed using a variety of platforms and test scripts to verify that your application works properly for your target users. Testing concerns at this phase include ensuring the application correctly installs and all features/functionality work as they did in the original source language version of the application.

Find more Japanese translation and localization resources in our translation blog:

7 Insights into Japanese Website Localization

For information on The Japanese language and translation, please see our information on Japanese Translation services.