The government will allocate ¥80 million to translate Japanese books into English as part of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s campaign to boost the country’s image in foreign countries, officials said on Wednesday.
A panel of seven Japanese intellectuals, including university professors and former government officials, will select candidate books over the next month. The government will then subsidize the translation work and publication costs, the officials said.
The Abe Cabinet has recently increased spending for overseas public relations efforts. This project is part of that campaign, they said.
The intellectuals held their first gathering at the Prime Minister’s Office on Wednesday. During the meeting, one of them lamented that the number of books about China in foreign languages has recently far surpassed those about Japan, according to two government officials.
“Books will be selected to call attention to positive aspects of Japan,” one of the officials said, adding that the size of the budget is far larger than similar government projects in the past. More.
See: The Japan Times
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Japan
Local time: 06:45
Japanese to English
I think there are many, many positive aspects to Japan - in fact, I love it here! But I wonder how many books they'll be able to find that present positive aspects. Characters in Japanese fiction tend to be a bit...gloomy. It makes for interesting reading, but struggles with self-doubt and one's role in society don't create the most positive of images. Of course, I'm generalizing.... See more
I think there are many, many positive aspects to Japan - in fact, I love it here! But I wonder how many books they'll be able to find that present positive aspects. Characters in Japanese fiction tend to be a bit...gloomy. It makes for interesting reading, but struggles with self-doubt and one's role in society don't create the most positive of images. Of course, I'm generalizing. At any rate, I suppose travel guides and some manga are still up for grabs. ▲ Collapse
Japan
Local time: 06:45
Japanese to English
+ ...
I don't see any indication that the selections will be works of fiction. Wouldn't you say that most if not all of the classics have already been translated? As have popular modern works like Jump comics and those of Murakami Haruki.
My bet is on nonfiction stuff about things like Japanese history and art.
India
Local time: 03:15
Member (2013)
Tamil to English
+ ...
I think there are many, many positive aspects to Japan - in fact, I love it here! But I wonder how many books they'll be able to find that present positive aspects. Characters in Japanese fiction tend to be a bit...gloomy. It makes for interesting reading, but struggles with self-doubt and one's role in society don't create the most positive of images. Of course, I'm generalizing. At any rate, I suppose travel guides and some manga are still up for grabs.
It is really a welcome step. And, indeed a good news to the translators community. As a translation agency, we also look forward to take part in the government's drive.
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