Translator’s Profile

Satomi Arai
Craft Communications
《Profile》
Born in 1975 in Saitama, Japan.
I graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) with Bachelor of Arts in Communications Studies in 1999.
I moved to the United States alone to pursue college degree after graduating from high school in Japan. After graduation and briefly at working at translation agency, I worked at Los Angeles newsroom of NHK Japan Broadcasting as a field producer, traveling across the US; then, served as sales manager and consultant in the Japanese sake business evangelizing the artisanal products.
After returning to Japan, I worked at Pernod Ricard Japan as brand manager, marketing craft wines and spirits, then as corporate communications manager, with focus on sustainability messaging; then at IKEA Japan as PR leader, publicizing opening of new Tokyo shops and sustainable life at home; and most recently, at Salesforce Japan as employee engagement manager for Japan and Korea, then as product PR manager, promoting cloud products.
In 2024, I decided to go freelance as a translator as well as part-time Japanese language instructor.
*Please see my LinkedIn page for the career milestones in details
《Credentials》
- TOEIC 990
- STEP English 1
- Japanese Language Teaching Competency Test - Pass
- National Government Licensed Guide Interpreter - Pass
- Introductory Sommelier Course and Exam (Court of Master Sommeliers)
- Sake Sommelier and Sake Instructor Certificates (Sake Service Institute)
- Certified PR Planner (Public Relations Society of Japan)
《Translation School Experience》
Fellow Academy (Self-Study Course)
- Commercial translation
Fellow Academy (Live Streaming Course)
- Subtitling / Dubbing - Basic
- Subtitling - Intermediate
- Literary - Basic
- Literary - Intermediate
《Volunteer》
Toda International Friendship Association (TIFA) - Japanese Language Support Volunteer