In borderless world, many global companies have adopted multilingual websites that allow users to switch between Japanese and English in the Japan market. This enables them to reach a global audience and make their products and services accessible to Japanese users.
If you want to offer your services or sell products to the Japan market, creating a multilingual website in both Japanese and English is essential.
However, implementing a language-switching feature on a website requires specialized knowledge. This article outlines the key elements necessary to implement a website that supports switching between Japanese and English.
There are various methods to implement a language switch, including manually creating separate pages or using translation plugins and machine translation tools.
When localizing a website into both Japanese and English, it is common to create separate pages and structure URLs accordingly (e.g., /ja/ for Japanese and /en/ for English).
To achieve this, it is necessary to configure hreflang tags correctly and structure links properly.
hreflang tags
For a seamless user experience, the design and placement of the language switch button must be carefully considered.
Additionally, since text length varies between Japanese and English, it is crucial to design the website to accommodate differences in font size and spacing. (English text tends to be longer than Japanese, even though individual English characters are smaller.)
To ensure that search engines correctly recognize the Japanese and English pages, it is important to configure separate hreflang tags for each language page.
Moreover, incorporating relevant keywords within the appropriate tags on each language page is crucial for SEO optimization.
hreflang tags for each language page
Even if users can switch between Japanese and English, simply translating text using Google Translate or other machine translation tools is not enough to convey business intent and build trust.
It is important to ensure that translations reflect the appropriate nuances and expressions to align with your business.
Implementing a language switch feature requires specialized knowledge. Goat WenCreation Japan provides comprehensive services, including website development, language switch implementation, and Japanese-English translation.
Even if you don’t have a concrete plan yet, that’s perfectly fine!
Whether you want to build a Japanese website, add specific features, or introduce your unique products and services to the Japan Market, Goat WenCreation Japan can help turn your vision into reality.
If you’re interested, feel free to contact us to discuss your project!