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Field notes on business translation
Practical writing on keigo, contracts, and the edge cases that trip teams up.
A secure alternative to Google Translate & DeepL for confidential business documents
The data risks of free translation tools, and how to choose a secure business-translation alternative for confidential documents — with a comparison of the main options.
8 min read•Read the postIs Google Translate safe for business? Data-leak risks and how to avoid them
Is it safe to paste internal documents into Google Translate? What actually happens to your text, how leaks occur, and concrete steps to translate internal documents safely.
7 min read•Read the postTeineigo, sonkeigo, kenjogo: the three forms of Japanese keigo and when to use each
The three forms of Japanese honorifics — when to use each in internal email, client communication, contracts, and proposals.
7 min read•Read the postJapanese business email keigo phrase library — copy-paste ready templates
A copy-paste cheat sheet of Japanese business email phrases by situation — first contact, ongoing client, apology, refusal — for AI-drafted email QA.
8 min read•Read the postCloud AI translation security — three real risks and three workflows for confidential documents
The real security risks of cloud AI translation (DeepL, Google, ChatGPT), the contractual guarantees enterprises should require, and three workflows for handling confidential documents safely.
8 min read•Read the postExternal business email in Japanese — first contact, ongoing relationships, and apology patterns
Japanese external business email patterns — first contact, ongoing client, apology — with the phrases that work and the casual expressions to avoid.
8 min read•Read the postPicking a keigo AI translation tool — Google vs DeepL vs ChatGPT vs business-specific, in seven dimensions
Seven criteria for choosing a keigo AI translator — default register, context controls, double-honorific detection, glossaries, file formats, security, pricing — and which tool fits which workflow.
8 min read•Read the postKeigo translator guide for non-native business writers
What keigo is, why generic translators get it wrong, and what to look for in a keigo translator built for business writing — for non-native Japanese writers.
8 min read•Read the postJapanese business email translator — the five-block structure
Japanese business email follows a five-block structure with formulaic phrases per block. This guide shows the structure, the phrases, and how a Japanese business email translator assembles them.
7 min read•Read the postFormal Japanese writing for non-native business writers
The four registers of Japanese writing, what changes between them, and which register to use for each business situation — for non-native writers handling Japanese business communication.
9 min read•Read the postHow to choose an internal document translation service — confidentiality, consistency, scale
Choosing a translation service for internal documents — work regulations, HR handbooks, training. Three requirements unique to internal docs and five vendor checks.
10 min read•Read the postPractical guide to high-quality PDF business document translation — layout preservation and QA checks
Translating business PDFs — contracts, proposals, IR docs, manuals — without breaking layout. Three approaches and five quality checks for production work.
10 min read•Read the postCommon keigo translation mistakes by AI — double honorifics, register slips, industry phrases
Five keigo mistakes AI makes when translating English business content into Japanese, and the four-step review process that catches them before delivery.
9 min read•Read the postSecurity in AI translation of confidential documents — five risks and vendor selection checklist
Confidential document AI translation — five security risks, five vendor selection checks, contract clauses to require, and industry-specific considerations.
11 min read•Read the postAI translation vs human translation: choosing the right option for business documents
Contracts, internal policies, pitch decks — when AI translation is enough and when you still need a human. A practical decision framework.
9 min read•Read the postKeigo traps in English business email: five rules to avoid accidentally sounding rude
Direct translations of Japanese business phrases often feel cold or pushy in English. Here is how native speakers read them and how to rewrite.
11 min read•Read the postCan AI translate contracts safely? Legal risks and practical mitigations
The specific failure modes AI hits on contracts — proper nouns, numbers, cross-references — and the workflow that keeps legal risk low.
12 min read•Read the post