Abstract
This paper examines the backgrounds and characteristics of the publicly certified Translators and/or Interpreters in Sweden, based on the fieldwork done under the commission of Japan’s Ministry of Justice. A Swedish government institution, called Kammarkollegiet, since 1994 has been conducting the first level “Certified Interpreters” exam in selected languages, and for those who have alreday passed the first level, the examinations are held for “Certified Court Interpreters” and “Certified Medical Interpreters.” On translation, the examinations are in two folds, one from Swedish to a foreign language, and another from a foreign language to Swedish. In 1996, the Kammarkollegiet also issued “God tolksed” (i.e., guidelines for good interpreting practice) for the practitioners. Sweden would give important lessons for Japan, in case the latter considers the introduction of a certification system in order to guarantee the quality of professional interpreters and translators for the public interests.
