An interpreter from Simul International

Why it is on the list

Simul International was founded in 1965. It interpreted the Apollo 11 landing for Japanese television in 1969 and has worked at summit conferences since Rambouillet in 1975; it holds the Japan Foundation Special Prize (1977) and the Minister for Foreign Affairs Prize (1985).¹ More than 50 Japanese and English interpreters work for it alone, every interpreter is graded by regular testing, and a coordinator follows each assignment from start to finish.² Its fields run from ministerial talks, board meetings and contract negotiations to arbitration, depositions and facility visits.³ For one or two people the interpreter sits alongside and speaks quietly into the ear, with a small portable set when you are on the move.⁴⁵

It is built for meetings and visits, not for a doctor's appointment: for that, call the out-of-hours line at Tokyo Medical and Surgical Clinic.

How to get it

Call the Interpreting Department in Tokyo on +81-3-3524-3101 or use the enquiry form.⁶ Give the date, time, place, subject, languages, the style (whispered or consecutive for a small meeting) and who will be in the room; a coordinator proposes the interpreter's class and sends an estimate, and the order stands once you confirm it.⁷ Send agendas, names and papers in advance so the interpreter can prepare.⁷

Rates are per interpreter: Class A JPY 74,000 for up to three hours or JPY 110,000 a day, JPY 18,000 each hour more, before tax; Class S, for medical and other specialist subjects, JPY 88,000 and JPY 130,000.⁴ A consecutive interpreter works alone up to three hours; longer takes two.⁴ A first booking is paid in advance, and a cancellation or change of date made after the interpreter has been arranged is charged, counted in business days.⁴ Work outside Tokyo, Kanagawa, Chiba and Saitama, or more than 100 km from Tokyo Station, is billed as travel.⁴

Discretion

Simul is certified to ISO/IEC 27001 for information security.¹ Its written policy binds every staff member to protect the confidentiality of what they handle, with regular audits and training.⁸ A coordinator comes to the meeting only when needed.⁷