Negotiating with Japanese
“Raising funds in a country other than the country of domicile of the fund is time intensive and represents additional operational and fundraising challenges…. (But) Diversifying the investor base will be beneficial to both fund investors and the fund manager in the long run.”
Source: Hemali Dassani and Nanda Kuppuswamy (2022). “Marketing Alternative Investments: A Comprehensive Guide to Fundraising and Investor Relations for Private Equity and Hedge Funds.”
Japanese communication can be likened to skilled diplomacy—they may refrain from outright refusal, and their "yes" may convey nuanced meanings.
Benefits of Translation
Sending messages in Japanese and suggesting replies in the same language can expedite responses, given that only 47% of Japanese workers are proficient in English, according to a survey conducted by the influential language-testing agency, TOEIC.
Documents suitable for translation include:
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Risk management policies and manuals
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Request for proposal (RFP)
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Offering Circular
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Private Placement Memorandum (PPM)
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Due Diligence Questionnaire (DDQ)
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Audited financial statements
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Limited partnership agreement
Three Pitfalls to Avoid in Translations
1. Relying solely on AI or machine translation without human verification can lead to inaccuracies. While machine translation has improved, it may still omit sentences or convey the opposite meaning. Reserve its use for non-critical projects.
2. Translations by non-native speakers of Japanese may offer lower costs but could lack proper politeness levels crucial in Japanese communication. It's advisable to engage a native Japanese speaker for verification.
3. Translations by unskilled individuals can lead to misunderstandings, especially with nuanced financial terms. It's essential to vet the translator's expertise thoroughly.
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"Your go-to translator"
A great, all-around technical EJ translator, and definitely our go-to financial translator for complex assignments.
Madoka Murakami, Tribeca Translations