Rikai Associates’ Mission

To provide services of the highest quality to maximise business and personal relationships between Japanese and non-Japanese, ensuring that our clients objectives are achieved with successful results.

How we can enhance your business relationships

• We will deliver translations that reflect your objectives for your business. To do this we will personally discuss what you need to achieve with the translation and work with you on achieving your objectives.

• Research has shown that people seek out and appreciate those who attempt to overcome any potential language barriers. We will help with any language barriers.

• Business is a long-term commitment that requires dedication and professionalism. We have a reputation for being committed to the long haul with our clients to ensure their success and ours.

• Working with foreign cultures can raise questions and dilemmas. To be confident, you owe it to yourself and your business to be well informed. In business, cultural details can sometimes be more important than the actual business itself. We ensure your communications are relevant in every respect.

• To take up the challenge of doing business in the international market it is crucial to have some understanding of the your business partners and their business culture. We can advise on Japanese Business Etiquette

Clients

Our clients include companies and organisations such as Toyota, BMW, Trade New Zealand, JETRO, Subaru, The Chamber of Commerce, Novotel and Hanimex.

We have worked for large multi-nationals, government organisations, and smaller enterprises, with the below an indicative group of clients we have worked for:

BMW
BDM Homes
Chamber of Commerce
Chemicaa Woodplus (Timber)
De Merlay Designs
Dynasty Pacific
ESC – Hiroshima
Feltex Carpets
Hanimex
Homes By Westwood
Kimberley House
Kimberley Lodge
Kitchenpak Distribution Limited
JETRO
Miro Textiles
Novotel
NZ Police
NZ Sugar
Pacific Lithium
Richina Pacific
Saatchi & Saatchi
Sea Services Limited
Sky City
Settler Felts
Solid Energy
Subaru
Trade NZ
Toyota
Ventura Pacific

Feedback on translation work:

“Extremely professional, the translations done have improved my business relationship with my client and sped up the process beyond my expectations.”
Owner – Kimberley House

“The attention to detail at every step was brilliant, the quality of the translation has been first-class. Feedback from my Japanese clients gave me great confidence in my business approach at all times.”
Managing Director – De Merlay Designs

Feedback on Japanese Business Etiquette seminars:

“Very informative..., extremely relevant..., important fundamentals..., vital to put me on the right track..., interesting, worthwhile and entertaining..., made sense and clarified a lot of grey areas..., cobwebs cleared...”
Chamber of Commerce clients

“Helen is very friendly, helpful, approachable, knowledgable, very patient…, style of language teaching excellent, makes it seem attainable to learn Japanese as presented clearly and logically, lots of fun, brilliant teacher and atmosphere..., the course has met my expectations fully..., a great privilege to be part of this course...”
Business Executives – Various courses

Profile of Helen Corban, Managing Director:

Helen is a University graduate with a degree in Education and Post-graduate studies in Advanced Japanese. Being fully qualified to teach languages, she has taught English and Japanese for 16 years. Helen has spent considerable time in Japan, which includes periods setting up an import/export company with New Zealand designer products establishing a customer base throughout southern Japan. Helen has also delivered corporate training programs in Japanese to business executives in Tokyo.

On her return to New Zealand in 1995 Rikai Associates Limited was established offering Translation & Interpreting, Japanese Language & Business Etiquette seminars and Business Consultation. Rikai Associates has grown into a team of highly qualified and experienced professionals to service the market demand for quality translation work, which has been the main business focus in recent years.

“On a personal note I have invested nearly half my life into studying the Japanese language and have a passion for life and business in Japan. I feel privileged to have business contacts in Japan who have become close friends over the years as I am committed to helping people succeed in the Japanese market and helping Japanese to achieve their business goals in the international market.”