Producer

Translation producer

Benjamin and his team create accessible, authentic translations of nuanced content. He has produced content for television and media, as well as universities, trade groups, investment firms and the government relations sector. His diverse portfolio of projects range from anime copy at Netflix to bilingual signs at Kamakura temples for the government of Japan.

Cultural consultant

Benjamin has produced experiences involving zen meditation, martial arts, casino culture, and more. He has designed events in and around Japan for the Harvard Club of Japan, Pasona Group, the Chicago School of Professional Psychology, and The Aspen Institute Japan. In 2014, Japan Women's University issued an official citation to Benjamin for his contributions to an intensive Zen research project.

Case Study: WorldSteel International

Role:

WorldSteel approached PR agency Parthenon Japan to create an impactful marketing piece to share the stories of centuries old Japanese steel crafting techniques. Benjamin worked with Parthenon to write the script and collaborated with teams in the Japanese and international branches at WorldSteel to create a marketing video that connected with customers and educated them.

Results:
The importance of WorldSteel International’s work was shared with their international audience, receiving over 7000 unique views. The client was pleased to connect with their Japanese customers and take away key learning points from their specific needs.

Case Study: Yamanashi Gakuin University

Role:

Working with a multi-department team at Yamanashi University, Benjamin helped create a promotional pamphlet to share the University’s offerings to an English speaking international audience of various backgrounds.

Results:
The booklet gave the university’s recruiting team a go-to marketing item that could quickly explain why Yamanashi Gakuin was a good fit for international students. The university can use this document for years to come as a jumping-off point for prospective students outside Japan.

Case Study: Netflix Japan

Role:

Netflix hired Benjamin as their first bilingual writer in 2015. He worked as a coordinator and translator, often acting as a bridge between the Japanese and North American offices. He helped the American office interface with the complexities of Japanese culture while keeping a consistent tone across the media giant’s copywriting as it came to Japan.

Results:

Successfully negotiated translations with Japanese media companies that were bringing their intellectual property to the platform and helped launched Netflix Japan to where it is today.

Want to work with Benjamin?

In 2005, Benjamin came to Japan on the prestigious Nambu Foundation program to work in the headquarters of Pasona Group. As the sales division’s only foreign member, he helped onboard new translators and interpreters by creating an authentic English language evaluation process. Shortly after, he began editing dictionaries at Shogakukan publishing and collaborated with academic institutions such as Tokyo Institute of Technology.

Over the years, Benjamin became a trusted resource for his friends and coworkers in japan who wanted to better connect and engage with the global community. He began interpreting and translating for organizations such as the NYSE through Tech in Asia while investing in himself with programs such as International House of Japan’s Nitobe leadership program. He has also worked with the Budokan on international events and represented the Japan Association of Translators at the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).

Today, Benjamin continues helping organizations across the world connect with Japanese businesses and consumers. He believes strongly in truly understanding the intended audience, down to the individual customer. Benjamin takes pride in his ability to support growth and learning across languages and cultural barriers.

I recently spent a week with Benjamin in Tokyo and could not recommend his expertise and services as an interpreter more. If you're looking for someone who can navigate the cultural and language nuances of Japan, while also making sure you understand the larger cultural / business context, you should talk with Benjamin. He works in a relatively informal yet professional style which was a perfect fit for me. He also has a strong passion for creative / maker communities that shined through in all of our conversations.

Sean Leow - Kickstarter Chief Operating Officer

I was extremely lucky to have Benjamin in our team. He provided great Japanese-English localization and always came up with creative ideas, no doubt due to his extensive knowledge and passion for Japanese entertainment, especially with Anime. You could tell that he has a deep love for working on content, which made it easy for me to trust him and ask for help when my team needed it.

Yuka Ogasawara - Netflix Japanese Language Manager