DTP / Typesetting

Nederlands

By definition, European printers and typesetters are unable to offer an acceptable Japanese or Chinese typesetting service, even if they think they can. Due to the distinctly average Japanese/Chinese typesetting features offered by standard DTP packages, printers and typesetters mistakenly believe that the process of typesetting Asian languages is identical to that of other languages. The translation is poured into text frames, and, to the untrained eye, the end result looks perfect. Until you realize that your product leaves consumers cold, because the brochure is a mess and riddled with typesetting errors. Japanese and Chinese typesetting is a specialist trade, which can only be performed by experienced Japanese and Chinese typesetters. This requires skills that extend far beyond a quick quality check by a translator.

Fortunately, Akebono Translation Service provides the perfect solution for all your DTP requirements. To our knowledge, we are the only translation agency in the Netherlands (and probably even Europe) to typeset Japanese using the Japanese versions of Adobe InDesign and QuarkXpress.

Adobe InDesign and QuarkXpress The English version of Adobe InDesign and the standard version of QuarkXpress lack the ability to compose languages such as Japanese correctly. To avoid unnecessary complications and serious typesetting errors, the software must be operated by a native Japanese speaker. Even then, the end results can be bitterly disappointing. To rectify this problem, Adobe and Quark have launched special Japanese versions with extra user options, which compose the Japanese language perfectly.

(Click to enlarge) The text on the left has been formatted using the English version of InDesign and contains 4 serious typesetting errors. The text on the right has been formatted using the Japanese version of InDesign and contains no typesetting errors.

Unfortunately, this software cannot be operated by a non-native speaker of Japanese. Although written Japanese and Chinese have no spaces between words, there are places where line breaks should never be used. Furthermore, certain things are simply 'not done'. For example, East Asian scripts rarely if ever use italics. To make a good and lasting impressing on your customers, it is of paramount importance that Asian typesetting is carried out by a skilled expert who is a native speaker of the typesetting language. Akebono works with the Japanese versions of Adobe InDesign and QuarkXpress, which offer a multitude of Japanese typesetting options. Although these are separate versions, they are 'downwards' compatible with the English counterparts, enabling you to read the outlined end result.