Lost in Translation

Communication is so important. Its significance ranks right up there with the needfulness of the five senses. Case in point, a simple thing like transferring ownership of a vehicle is child's play in the States. At the very least the process in Japan is perplexing if there is a language barrier. Getting a simple point across to a clerk with an almost non-existent English vocabulary becomes a whirlwind of frustration lost in translation. The process should be left to the more knowledgeable. Language cripples like me should be strongly discouraged from going it alone.

Today I was in Yokohama at the Land Transportation Office to "get the registration canceled" on our vehicle. I hitched a ride with Derek, a fellow I know here. He's a seasoned used car dealer on the base and I had asked for his help. He makes runs to the LTO daily. When we arrived he pointed me to the registration office. It's one of many offices in a large complex. The clerk and I exchanged smiles and politely nodded in hushed agreement as she performed the paperwork. Derek walks in, looks over my shoulder, then at the forms on the clerk's desk and begins to wave his hand over the paperwork saying "iie, iie, iie." I know that means no in Japanese. Derek saw that she was filling out forms to "junk" my car. That is what she understood "get the registration canceled" to mean. Communication is so important.