Professional Japanese transcription services
Native Japanese linguists turn your interviews, meetings and research recordings into proofread transcripts written in natural Japanese, with 99% accuracy.
4.6 on G2 4.7 on Trustpilot
SOC 2 Type II
GDPR compliant
Trusted by 6m+ users and 41,000+ teams of all sizes
Who we transcribe Japanese for
Teams working with Japanese customers, partners and audiences choose human transcription when nuance and politeness levels matter.
User and market research
Consumer interviews, usability sessions and focus groups in Japanese, delivered in a consistent format for your research team.
Business meetings
Negotiations, partner calls and internal meetings in Japanese, transcribed with every speaker identified for your records.
Media and localization
Interviews, video and podcast content in Japanese, with timestamps that translators and subtitlers can work from.
Transcribed by native Japanese linguists
Japanese files are handled by native Japanese-speaking linguists from our vetted partner network, under the same quality guidelines as all our professional work.
They write in natural Japanese with the right mix of kanji, hiragana and katakana, and keep honorifics and polite forms (keigo) exactly as spoken, which matters when you analyse how people talk to each other.
Proofread Japanese transcripts, 99% accurate
Each transcript is checked against the audio by a professional. Company names, product names and foreign loanwords in katakana are verified, every speaker is labelled and timestamps are added throughout.
Share a glossary with the preferred writing of names and terms, and choose clean read or verbatim depending on how you will use the transcript.
Japanese transcripts back in 48 hours
Standard turnaround for Japanese is 48 hours for recordings under 2 hours. Recordings of 2 to 3 hours take 4 days, and longer recordings take 5 days.
For large projects, such as a research round across many participants, we plan volumes and delivery dates with you upfront.
Confidential handling for sensitive Japanese recordings
HappyScribe is SOC 2 Type II certified and GDPR compliant. Your Japanese files are encrypted in transit and at rest, and everyone who works on them is bound by a confidentiality agreement (NDA).
Customer interviews, partner meetings and unreleased content stay in your private workspace, where you decide who can view, edit and share each transcript.
Included in every Japanese transcript
-
Speaker identification
Each speaker is labelled, so interviews, panels and focus groups read clearly from the first line.
-
Timestamps
Timestamps tie every passage back to the recording, so you can check a quote or cut a clip in seconds.
-
Clean read or verbatim
Choose a clean, readable transcript or a verbatim one that keeps every hesitation, repetition and false start.
-
Glossaries and style guides
Share names, brands and technical terms once. Our linguists follow your glossary and style guide on every file.
-
Word, PDF, SRT and more
Edit the transcript online, then export it to DOCX, PDF, TXT, SRT, VTT and other formats.
-
Translated transcripts
Need the Japanese transcript in another language too? We pair transcription with professional translation.
How our Japanese transcription service works
-
Tell us about your project
Share the language variant, volume, deadlines and transcript style you need. Our team confirms scope and delivery with you.
-
Native linguists transcribe and proofread
A native Japanese speaker transcribes your files, labels speakers, adds timestamps and checks every line against the audio.
-
Receive your transcripts
You get an email when each file is ready. Review it in your secure workspace and export it in the format you need.
Customer Reviews
4.7/5 on Trustpilot
-
Easy to use this service, and I got exactly what I needed. I would definitely recommend to anyone who is looking for good, professional transcription services.
Lynn Hayne Trustpilot -
Impressively accurate and very fast transcription service! I saved so much time on my Master's thesis by using HappyScribe! Really great value and I would highly recommend!
Deirdre Quinn Trustpilot -
The accuracy of HappyScribe's transcription is amazing. Hardly any manual corrections needed.
John Verbrugge Trustpilot
Japanese transcription FAQ
How long does Japanese transcription take?
48 hours for Japanese recordings under 2 hours, 4 days for recordings of 2 to 3 hours and 5 days for longer recordings. Large projects get a delivery schedule agreed with our team.
Are transcripts written in kanji, hiragana and katakana?
Yes. Transcripts are written in standard Japanese script with kanji, hiragana and katakana, as a native reader would expect. If you need romaji or a specific convention, tell our team before you order.
Do you keep honorifics and polite language?
Yes. Honorifics and polite forms are transcribed as spoken. In verbatim transcripts, fillers and hesitations are kept too, which helps when you study how participants speak.
Can you translate Japanese transcripts into English?
Yes. We can pair Japanese transcription with professional translation into English or other languages. Ask our sales team to include it in your quote.
Is my Japanese audio kept confidential?
Yes. HappyScribe is SOC 2 Type II certified and GDPR compliant, files are encrypted in transit and at rest, and every linguist who works on your Japanese recordings is bound by a confidentiality agreement. Enterprise teams can also add SSO and access controls for their workspace.
What is the difference between professional and AI Japanese transcription?
AI transcription gives you a draft in minutes that you review and correct yourself. Our professional service delivers a transcript checked line by line by a native Japanese speaker, with 99% accuracy. Need it in minutes? Try AI Japanese transcription.