My specialties are the processes and technologies used in translation. In recent years, I have been very interested in translation that makes use of AI. For example, I am exploring whether an AI trained on a blog written by a pop idol is able to translate it using the writing style of an idol without losing any of the nuances of the source.
In research on translation, the usual approach is to use “translation analysis”, that is, to compare and analyze the source and translation from a range of different perspectives including linguistics, sociology, and history (the historical context of the period). To give an example, one possible theme for research might be to examine the manner in which the Japanese phrase “onaji kama no meshi wo kuu” is translated. (Straightforward translations that use the word “rice” do not convey the correct nuances to people from countries or regions with different food cultures.)
However, looking at the research themes of seminar students over the past few years shows that the scope of their research has broadened to encompass a range of topics such as games, videos, movie titles, picture book covers, and advertisements for cosmetics. Taking a student’s approach and viewing translation as a lens for intercultural communication rather than confining myself to the traditional translation framework led me to learn a great many things myself.

I would like seminar students to find at least a bare minimum of commonality with others through the perspective of translation. Translation is the act of finding common points with others and making connections. After pondering how to express “onaji kama no meshi wo kuu,” I think I would translate it as, “Eating chicken noodles together while camping.” What do you think? Do you feel like there is some part of us that lets us understand each other intuitively?
Today, at a time when differences with others are emphasized, the world is becoming increasingly divided. In the midst of all that, I think that a perspective that allows different people to find common ground and form connections is vital. My goal in life is to change the world with translation. Please, join with me in reconnecting the world.

My research theme is the transformation of terminology for human relationships in movie translation. Japanese has many different words to express the nuances of relationships between people, such as acquaintances, companions, and friends. I am analyzing how terms such as these for human relationships are translated. The inspiration behind this was seeing the way in which words like “bro” and “man” used as friendly terms by people appearing in western movies were always translated using the Japanese terms “omae” or “kimi” (different terms for “you”), which have a more distant feel to them. Conversely, when Japanese movies are translated into English, the words “shiriai” and “nakama” are both translated as “friend” which felt somewhat strange to me.
In my research, I am analyzing how translators have substituted terms for relationships between people across 15 films and dramas, examining this phenomenon from a range of perspectives, such as social and cultural contexts and gender. In practice, I found that it was necessary to take nonverbal elements such as people's expressions, gestures, and pacing into account. My analysis took a great deal of time. Additionally, it was difficult to set out objective standards for evaluating what constitutes intimacy, which was often frustrating. At such times I sought the guidance of Professor Yamada, who gave me advice and some unanticipated perspectives, for which I am very grateful.

I think that my seminar activities and graduation research have taught me to approach things from a variety of angles. For example, when a certain line was omitted from a subtitle, one must think about why that was, and how it was significant. It is not just that there is a limit on the number of characters that can be used in a subtitle; there may be cultural contexts, or the subtitler may have deliberately decided to omit that particular line. There were many occasions when I received feedback from my professor or other seminar students that awakened me to some viewpoints that I had not anticipated. I also learned a lot from research presentations given by other seminar students, which exposed me to diverse themes such as advertising and music and broadened my horizons. Over the four years of my study, I acquired a deeper understanding of different values and how to communicate them, a skill which I am sure will be useful once I leave university and enter society at large.