Freelance Japanese Interpreter and Translator

SILA Linguists® recruits freelance Japanese interpreters and translators for business, legal, technical and healthcare assignments. Correct use of formal and honorific Japanese is essential.

Japanese requests in the UK are often commercial: Japanese companies with UK operations need meeting interpreting, contract translation and technical documentation, where correct use of keigo (honorific language) and specialist terms matters. Public service work also arises for Japanese residents and visitors.

Assignments include business meetings, legal proceedings, patent and technical translation, medical appointments and court hearings.

Responsibilities

• Interpret in business meetings and negotiations with appropriate levels of formality.
• Translate technical, legal and commercial documents between Japanese and English.
• Follow professional standards of accuracy, impartiality and confidentiality on every assignment.
• Prepare for each booking by reviewing the brief and researching specialist terminology in advance.
• Check every translation against the source before delivery and meet agreed deadlines.
• Take on transcription and translation of Japanese recordings for legal, research and media clients, if this work interests you.

Requirements

• Full professional fluency in both Japanese and English.
• Relevant qualifications such as the DPSI, DPI or a translation degree, or equivalent professional experience; CIOL, ITI or NRPSI membership is welcome.
• Specialist knowledge in a technical, legal or financial field is an advantage.
• Willingness to undergo a DBS check, which is required for some assignments, such as those involving children or vulnerable adults.
• For on‑site work in the UK, the right to work in the UK.
• Reliable internet access and suitable equipment (computer or phone with headset) for video and telephone work.

What we offer

• Freelance flexibility, accepting work when it suits you.
• Remote and on‑site assignments.
• Fair pay that reflects your skills and time.
• Support from our operations team.
• Assignments across sectors, including healthcare, legal and public services.

Japanese work with SILA Linguists®

SILA Linguists® is a language services company providing interpreting, translation and transcription across the UK, North America, Australia, New Zealand and beyond, in more than 350 languages and dialects. As a Japanese linguist with us, you can take on the full range of work we offer in Japanese:

• Japanese interpreting of every type: face‑to‑face, telephone (OPI) 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, video (VRI) through the SILA Linguists® app or the client’s platform, consecutive, simultaneous, conference and remote simultaneous (RSI), community and escort interpreting.
• Japanese translation of documents into and out of English, from letters, medical reports and school records to contracts, research and websites.
• Certified Japanese translation with a signed statement of accuracy, accepted by UK authorities such as courts, the Home Office, universities and employers.
• Japanese transcription of audio and video recordings, with time stamps, translation of the transcript and subtitling.

Our vetted, trained and qualified linguists work in legal, police and court settings, immigration and asylum matters, NHS and private healthcare, social care, schools and universities, charities and business. Every assignment is covered by confidentiality agreements and UK GDPR.

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