Subtitling & subtitle translation
Japanese ⇄ English subtitles, reviewed line by line by a human translator
Subtitle translation with SRT/VTT delivery. From the same approved translation we can add dubbing, burned-in captions and exports for every platform you publish on.
- From JPY 1,200 per video minute
- Subtitles in ~2 business days
- Free 1-minute sample
- Single videos welcome
Why not auto-translate
What free auto-translation leaves out
The problem is not voice quality. It is that no one checks the translation before your audience sees it. Four things are missing.
01
No one reads the translation
Auto-translation runs from transcription to output with no human in the loop. Wrong names, company names, technical terms and tone go straight to your viewers.
02
No review, no fixes
Automatic dubs cannot be partially edited after publishing, and auto-translated captions have no review step. Your viewers are the only ones who notice errors.
03
Terms drift between videos
Each video is translated in isolation, so your company name or job titles can change mid-series. Nothing carries a glossary over to the next episode.
04
Stuck inside YouTube
Automatic captions and dubs exist only on YouTube. You cannot reuse them on Instagram, X, TikTok, your website, at trade shows or in training.
What you lose
What a video without subtitles or dubbing is missing
It is not just views. It is every inquiry, lead and reuse opportunity that one video could have created.
Without translated subtitles
Viewers who do not speak the language get nothing from the video — no inquiries, no applicants, no business conversations.
Without dubbing
Subtitles only reach people who can watch the screen. On the move, at work or on a trade-show floor, audio is all that gets through.
Without either
The video cannot be reused on other platforms. Each channel needs a new version, so one production budget buys the value of a single channel.
Process
How we make your subtitles
Five steps: transcription, translation, timing, review and delivery. JPY 1,200 per video minute, delivered in about 2 business days for subtitles only.
Transcription
We transcribe the original audio and a person checks speakers and proper nouns.
Translation
A translator works from the full context and builds a glossary that carries over to your next project.
Timing
Lines are cut to a readable length and display time, then exported as SRT. Timecodes set exactly when each subtitle appears and disappears.
Your review
You review the translation and we apply your changes.
Delivery
You receive SRT/VTT files, burned-in caption versions and exports for other platforms.
Where you can use the files
SRT and VTT are the standard subtitle formats, and you keep both. Three common uses:
Upload to YouTube
Add the SRT/VTT directly — including to videos that are already published.
Burn into the video
For platforms without caption support we export a version with burned-in captions, including vertical formats.
Reuse everywhere
Instagram, X, TikTok, your website, trade shows, internal training. The files are yours, so the platform does not matter.
Quality
Who is responsible for quality
Our founder, a Japanese–English translator, reviews every deliverable. Raw machine output never ships.
What the translator does
- Makes the translation calls — context, politeness level, omissions and speaker changes — so each line reads naturally.
- Fixes the translation and pronunciation of names and technical terms against your reference material.
- Reviews everything: every subtitle line, and the full audio from start to finish.
- Runs a final check on timing, length and file format before delivery.
Transcription, first drafts and voice generation are automated, but only as input for the translator's decisions. Automation keeps the work fast and affordable; a person guarantees the quality.
Dubbing
What dubbing adds to subtitles
Only the audio. The dubbing script is built directly from the approved subtitle translation, so terms never differ between subtitles and voice.
Script from subtitles
The approved subtitle translation becomes the voice script. No term is translated twice.
Voice generation & timing
We generate synthetic voice audio and fit it to the length of the original footage.
Final audio track
You get a track that replaces the original speech, ready to upload.
Listening check
The translator listens from start to finish and fixes mispronunciations and unnatural pauses.
The voice is not the speaker's own
The standard plan uses preset synthetic voices. If you need audio close to the speaker's own voice (voice cloning), ask us about the premium plan. A voice-over format that keeps the original voice at low volume is available at the same price.
Pricing
Pricing
Subtitles are JPY 1,200 per video minute. Dubbing is JPY 2,800 and the subtitles + dubbing bundle is JPY 3,500. A 10-minute video with subtitles costs JPY 12,000.
Subtitles (SRT/VTT)
JPY 1,200/ video minute
Human translation and timing, Japanese ⇄ English. Delivered in both SRT and VTT.
Subtitles + dubbing bundle
Save ~25%JPY 3,500/ video minute
One shared translation step makes it about 25% cheaper than ordering separately, and terms always match.
Dubbing
JPY 2,800/ video minute
Translation, review and voice generation, delivered as an upload-ready audio track. Price per language.
Burned-in captions & video export
Quoted per project
A version of your video with captions burned in, for platforms without caption support. Vertical formats available.
Video editing for YouTube
Quoted per project
Cuts, on-screen text and more — finished and ready to publish on YouTube. Can be combined with subtitles and translation.
YouTube upload service
JPY 5,000/ video
With channel permissions granted, we register subtitle and audio tracks and handle publishing settings.
Estimate your cost
Pick a service and your video length to see an instant estimate (excluding tax).
We send a formal quote together with your free sample.
- Languages: Japanese ⇄ English. For other languages, ask about our partner translators.
- Orders of 10+ videos and monthly retainers are quoted individually. Rush jobs carry a rush fee.
- Audio close to the speaker's own voice (voice cloning) is available as a premium plan.
- The upload service needs the YouTube “Subtitle editor” role for subtitles only, or “Editor” when audio tracks are included. No password sharing required.
- All prices exclude Japanese consumption tax.
Turnaround
How long it takes
Subtitles and dubbing for a one-hour video take about a week from order. Subtitles only take about 2 business days.
Order
Quote approved, source files received.
Day 1
File check and transcription.
Days 2–3
Translation; terms and style fixed.
Day 3
Review 1: we share the translation.
Days 4–5
Edits applied, voice script and audio generated.
Days 5–6
Review 2: you check subtitles and audio.
Day 7
Final edits, delivery or publishing.
- You review twice. If each review comes back within one business day, we deliver on this schedule.
- Subtitles only are delivered in about 2 business days.
- Ask us about rush jobs. We have delivered a 20–30 minute, two-speaker video on the same day.
Who it is for
Who this service is for
Content where a mistranslation costs credibility, and content that needs to travel beyond YouTube.
Brands and agencies entering Japan
Promotional videos, product explainers and interviews that need natural Japanese subtitles or dubbing for the Japanese market.
Tourism boards and public bodies
Localization where place names, facility names and official wording have to be consistent across every video.
Business and specialist content
Economics, finance, healthcare, manufacturing and government — fields where terms must be fixed and kept consistent across a series.
Media featuring Japanese speakers
Interviews and talks in Japanese that need accurate English subtitles, with a glossary that stabilizes terms episode after episode.
When it is not a good fit
Casual vlogs and chat-style channels. With few names or technical terms, and little at stake from a mistranslation, YouTube's auto-translation is often enough. Try it first and come to us if the translation starts to worry you.
Work
Track record
Business media, government, tourism and brand promotion.
- 4M+ subscribers
- Ongoing translation and SRT delivery for a Japanese business video channel.
- 100+ projects
- Translation, subtitling and video editing, across platforms and direct clients.
- 4 ministries
- International PR for Japan's Cabinet Office, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of the Environment and Japan Tourism Agency.
By field
Business
Ongoing translation and SRT delivery for economics and management talk shows on a business video channel with 4M+ subscribers, including many interviews with international experts.
Government & municipalities
Translation and video localization for international PR by the Cabinet Office, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of the Environment, Japan Tourism Agency and local governments.
Tourism
Full localization of tourism videos for a foreign government tourism board: subtitles, narration scripts, and pronunciation and spelling rules for place and facility names.
Brand promotion
Translation for Japanese-market promotions of international brands, including a whisky brand, and subtitles for a promotional film featuring a Hollywood actor.
- Certified freelancer on Lancers, a major Japanese freelance platform (53 positive reviews, 0 negative)
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Isn't YouTube's auto-translation good enough?
It depends on the content. For casual vlogs it may be. For videos with names, company names, technical terms or official statements, errors go straight to your audience, because auto-translation has no human review before publishing.
How is this different from YouTube's automatic dubbing?
A person reviews the translation, and you keep the files. Automatic dubs cannot be partially edited after publishing, and they are only available to channels in the YouTube Partner Program (YouTube Help, as of September 2026).
How much does it cost?
Subtitles are JPY 1,200 per video minute, dubbing JPY 2,800, and the bundle JPY 3,500 (excluding tax). A 10-minute video with subtitles is JPY 12,000. YouTube upload service is JPY 5,000 per video. Orders of 10+ videos and monthly retainers are quoted individually.
How long does it take?
About 2 business days for subtitles only, and about a week for subtitles plus dubbing on a one-hour video. You review twice; if each review comes back within one business day, we keep to this schedule. Rush jobs are available on request.
Which languages do you handle?
Japanese ⇄ English. Our founder handles Japanese–English translation and reviews every project in full. For other languages, ask about our partner translators. Dubbing is priced per language.
Can you edit the video as well as subtitle it?
Yes. Besides video editing for YouTube, we burn in captions for platforms without caption support, convert to vertical formats and export versions for each platform. One team handles translation, subtitles and editing, so terms stay consistent at every step. Editing is quoted per project.
What do I need to send?
Just the video file or a link. If you have preferred spellings for your company name and titles, name pronunciations, or an existing glossary or subtitles, sharing them keeps terms consistent. We keep the glossary for your next project.
Can the dub use the speaker's own voice?
Not on the standard plan, which uses preset synthetic voices. Audio close to the speaker's own voice (voice cloning) is available as a premium plan and requires the speaker's consent.
Can you upload to YouTube for us? What access do you need?
Yes, for JPY 5,000 per video. We need the “Subtitle editor” role for subtitles only, or “Editor” when audio tracks are included. No password sharing is required (YouTube Help, as of September 2026).
Can you add subtitles to videos that are already published?
Yes. Subtitles and dubbed audio can both be added to published videos. Any automatic dub in the same language has to be removed first (YouTube Help, as of September 2026).
Can I order just one video?
Yes. No ongoing contract is required. You can start with one video and add more once the glossary is in place.
Contact
Start with a free 1-minute sample
Send us your video file or a video link and the service you need. We will produce about one minute for free and reply within a few days with the sample and a quote.
Prefer email to the form? Write to us directly. kazunari.kawata@bridgesllc.co.jp
Including these speeds up your quote
- Your video file or a video link — either one is fine.
- The service: subtitles, dubbing, subtitles + dubbing, video editing for YouTube, burned-in captions / export, or upload service. “Not sure yet” is fine.
- Direction: Japanese → English or English → Japanese.
- Approximate number of videos and their length. Single videos are welcome.
- Your deadline, and whether you need a rush job.