Analysis of Translation Policies in the U.S. Federal Government

Protecting the Rights of Individuals

Abstract

In the United States, ensuring government communication with the public, including people with Limited English Proficiency (LEP), has been considered essential to a democracy that respects the rights of individuals. According to Executive Order 13166, Improving Access to Services for Persons with LEP, this requirement must be reflected in all federal departments’ language access plans. This article first examines these language access plans to determine their provision of appropriate language services, including translation and interpretation services, which in turn constitute their translation policies. Then, it explores the characteristics of these language access plans to assess whether they have been included in similar Japanese government agency documents. It was found that these Japanese documents do not as yet provide meaningful language access to foreign residents or prioritize their rights. Suggestions are provided to improve this situation in Japan.