Abstract
This paper focuses on issues surrounding the interpretation from Japanese to English of former Japanese
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s apology statement concerning “comfort women” on April 27, 2007. At that time, U.S. House Resolution 121, which demands that the Japanese Government apologize for war crimes, was about to be adopted, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Japan was trying to prevent its passage. Prime Minister Abe, who had a considerable nationalist support base, used the phrase “moushi wake nai,” which was interpreted as “to express apology.” An experimental survey the author conducted with Japanese-English translators demonstrated that this translation amplified a tone of regret, and reactions on the part of the Japanese, U.S., Chinese and Korean media were clearly affected by it. Studying apology communication in multilateral diplomacy from the perspective of the translator is likely to contribute to successful diplomacy and it is the author’s hope that this paper paves the way for more comprehensive studies regarding apology translations in diplomacy.
