I founded Sparkle Language Services, Inc. in New York City in July 2010.

My specialty is providing accurate and nuanced English translations of Japanese text.

I translate English into written Japanese if the subject matter is interesting to me. That usually means sports, music, or some other creative activity is involved.

More information about me:

Education

• Nishimachi International School (K-8), Tokyo, Japan

• American School in Japan (Grade 9-12, graduated 1993), Tokyo, Japan

• Willamette University, Salem, Oregon, USA (Fall 1993)

• San Francisco State University, California, USA (1994, Fall 1996, Spring 1997)

• Bass Collective, NYC (Spring 2001 to Fall 2003)

• Don Lawrence Vocal Studio, NYC (Spring 2005 to Winter 2005)

Certificates

• Japanese Language Proficiency Test, Level 1 (1997)

Partial list of employers and clients: 

Penguin Random House (Kodansha USA Publishing) (client since 2020)

• Japanese-English (JE) translation of Cells at Work! CODE BLACK Vols. 6 to 8 by Akane Shimizu, Shigemitsu Harada, and Issei Hatsuyoshiya

• JE translation of Cells at Work! Vol. 6 by Akane Shimizu

• JE translation of Cells at Work! Baby Vol. 4 by Yasuhiro Fukuda

• JE translation of Gleipnir Vols. 8 to 12 by Sun Takeda

• JE translation of That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime: Trinity in Tempest Vols. 4 to 6 by Tae Tono and Mitz Vah

• JE translation of Island in a Puddle Vol. 1 to 5 by Kei Sanbe

• JE translation of Hitorijime Boyfriend by Memeco Arii

Digital Manga Inc. (client in 2015)

• JE translation of Black Canyon in Lemon Kid by Osamu Tezuka

• JE editing and partial translation of The Shinsengumi by Osamu Tezuka

Rockport Publishers (client in 2019 and 2020)

• JE translation of Observational Sketching: How to Draw Almost Any Object by Mariko Higaki

• JE translation of Manga Drawing Deluxe: Empower Your Drawing and Storytelling Skills by Nao Yazawa

Sheppard, Mullin, Richter & Hampton, LLP (client since December 2019)

• JE and English-Japanese (EJ) interpreting for witness testimony preparation

• Check interpreting (JE and EJ) during international corporate arbitration hearing

Translation Slam (May 9, 2019, Nuyorican Poets Cafe, NYC)

• JE translation, live reading, and panel discussion on an excerpt from Fukuwarai by Kanako Nishi, with Kanako Nishi, Allison Markin Powell, and Terry Gallagher. JE interpreting for Ms. Nishi.

Joi Ito (former Director of MIT Media Lab) (client since June 2018)

• EJ translation for https://joi.ito.com/jp/

Stillwell Partners (client in March 2016 to 2018)

• EJ translation of http://asia.advertisingweek.com/ and official guide of Advertising Week Asia 2016, 2017, 2018

• EJ translation and Japanese pronunciation coaching for CEO’s opening speech

Rebuild Japan Initiative Foundation (client since March 2016)

• EJ translation of Chapter 3: Design (Art and Science Combine to Produce Competitive Advantage) of 『ガラパゴス・クール: 日本再発見のための11のプログラム』 (Galapagos Cool: 11 Programs for Rediscovery of Japan)

• JE translation of the ‘Inbound’ chapter of the upcoming book Why Japan Matters

Libero Language Lab

• EJ translation for https://www.olympic.org/athlete365/ja/

TransPerfect Translations (employer from October 2006 to June 2008; client since June 2008)

• Positions: Quality Manager, Senior Quality Manager

• Responsibilities: Producing and reviewing JE translations, schedule management for a team of reviewers, grading translation tests (JE), advising on translator selection for external job placement, etc.

• Document types: Contracts, agreements, patents, clinical trial documents (protocols, clinical study reports, informed consent forms, case report forms, etc.), medical journal articles, business correspondence, business plans, etc.

日本短期滞在外科手術研究会 (Japan Short-Stay Surgery Study Group) (client in 2015)

• EJ translation of Day Surgery Manual by the International Association for Ambulatory Surgery

Amazon Publishing (client in 2015)

• Editing of Akiko Ohno’s Japanese translation of Chasing the Ripper, a Kindle Single by Patricia Cornwell

United States Embassy in Tokyo, Japan (client in 2015)

• Reviewing translations of poems (JE) and interpreting for the U.S.-Japan Poetry Exchange Program held at the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo and DreamYard in the Bronx on March 13/14, 2015

Dr. 原口義座 (Yoshikura HARAGUCHI) (formerly with the Department of Critical Care Medicine, Disaster Medical Center, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare of Japan; retired) (client since 2000)

• Translation of disaster care and countermeasure guidelines (Japanese to English)

• Transcription (English) and translation (EJ) of bioterrorism lectures by U.S. experts

• Translation and subtitling of disaster training drill video (JE)

• Translation of lecture presentation material (JE)

• Translation of letters (JE, EJ)

Mulodo Inc. (employer from June 2008 to January 2009)

• Article selection (E), translation (EJ), editing (J) and content development (J) for www.indonews.jp, an Indian business news site in Japanese

• Presentation of Deckkr at TechCrunch50 Demopit (including coordinating with event organizer, writing company and service descriptions, and interpreting for software engineers)

• Translation (EJ) of text in Disney games localized for Japan

Keio Academy of NY, Summer Program (client in Summer 2009 and 2010)

• Interpretation of lectures on animation and film:

2009: 河森正治 (Shōji KAWAMORI) (JE), Roland Kelts (EJ)

2010: Roland Kelts (EJ), 布川郁司 (Yūji NUNOKAWA) (JE), 阿部秀司 (Shūji ABE) (JE), 想田和弘 (Kazuhiro SŌDA) (JE & EJ)

Random House Kodansha (client from September 2006 to 2009)

• Translation (EJ) of Japanamerica by Roland Kelts

• Review of English books under consideration for publication in Japanese

Translations.com (client from March 2006 to July 2006)

• Real time translation (EJ) of 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany website content (match reports, player and manager interviews, etc.)

Shogakukan Inc. (client in 2003 and 2004)

• Translation (EJ) of selected entries from The Best American Sports Writing of the Century as reference material for a best-selling author

Sublingual Services (client from 1997 to 2004)

• Interpreting at Fuji Rock Festival for Ozomatli (1999) and the White Stage (2000)

• Translation of Vice Japan magazine music reviews and product reviews (EJ)

• Lyric transcription and translation (EJ)

SEP, Inc. (client in 1998 and 1999)

• Interviewing, transcription, translation and subtitling (EJ) for Space Shower TV (Japanese cable music channel) (for shows featuring Noel Gallagher, Rancid, Shepard Fairey, Vincent Gallo, etc.)

Translation by Design (client in August 2005 to January 2006)

• Translation (JE) of two novels in the Scrapped Princess series by Ichiro Sakaki, for TOKYOPOP

Soken Medical Co. (client in July 2008)

• Translation of reports on clinical magnetic treatment and ozone therapy (JE)

Rikkyo University professor (client in 2000)

• Translation of thesis abstracts (JE)

• Translation of educational materials (EJ)

Tomigaia, Inc. (client in 2000)

• Translation of Internet protocol community mailing lists for NTT (EJ)

Waseda University professor (client in 2000)

• Transcription and translation (JE) of interviews for a study on work-life balance

Digital Garage, Inc. (employer in 1997 and 1998)

• Nagano Olympics website construction and translation (EJ)

• Translation (EJ) of the Ultraseek search engine user guide

SmithKline Beecham K.K. (client in 1997)

• Translation (JE) of a non-clinical study report on a new pharmaceutical compound