Common questions

Price depends on the document, the language pair and the deadline, so we quote each job individually rather than publishing a rate that would be wrong for most documents. A one-page civil record is usually the cheapest item we handle; a bundle with an apostille and embassy legalisation costs more because of the government fees and the counter visits. Send the document and you will have a fixed price within one business day.

For the translation itself, a clear scan is enough. An apostille or embassy legalisation is applied to the original or to a certified copy, so for those we need the paper document — we can arrange courier collection anywhere in Japan and return it with the translation.

Yes. Our certified translations carry a signed statement of accuracy, the translator's details and our seal, which is the format Japanese authorities, foreign embassies, universities and registrars ask for. If your receiving authority has a specific template or requires a sworn translator registered in that country, tell us and we will arrange it that way instead.

Standard turnaround for a short civil document is two to three business days. Same-day and next-day work is possible for an urgency surcharge. Apostille and consular steps add government processing time, which we will state in the quote before you commit.

No. Everything runs by email, post and courier, which is why we can cover all 47 prefectures equally. Interpreting is the exception, since an interpreter attends in person or joins by video.

No. We translate, certify, obtain documents and interpret. We can tell you what a receiving authority normally requires and prepare the paperwork, but we do not give legal advice or represent you before an authority. Where a case needs a licensed professional — an administrative scrivener for a visa application, a lawyer for a court matter — we will say so.

Yes. We sign a confidentiality agreement before receiving files, limit access to the translators and reviewers on the job, and can work under your own NDA template.

If a document we certified is rejected because of an error or a formatting requirement we should have met, we correct it and cover the cost of redoing the certification. If the authority changes its requirements after delivery, we will tell you what has changed and quote the additional work.

Yes, without going through Japanese. That matters for documents that will never be read by a Japanese authority, such as a Portuguese certificate needed in Spanish.