Sapporo Community Interpreters

To help eliminate the language barrier between foreign residents at schools, childcare facilities, ward offices, etc., we dispatch a volunteer interpreter who have been given a certain amount training. In principle, these interpreters are sent out to city-related facilities.

This service is available for:

Discussions at schools, childcare facilities, etc.
Orientation and procedures before admission to schools or daycare centers
Public nurse home visits (infant check-ups)
Infant health examinations
Application for entering nursery school, preliminary visits of desired childcare centers before applying
Procedures for pregnancy and childbirth etc. at ward offices

This service is not available for:

Events, seminars, briefing sessions, etc.
Medical interpretation at hospitals and other institutions
Judicial interpretation at police stations, courts, and lawyers' offices
Exams at school, learning support, use as a chaperone, non-interpretation related requests

Available date and time

(Generally) Monday to Friday 9: 00-17: 30

For other dates and times, please contact us.

Available languages

English/Chinese/Thai/Russian/Vietnamese/Myanmar (Burmese)/Nepali/Cambodian ⇔ Japanese

* Interpreters are not currently available for other languages, but we are working to find volunteers for more languages.

How to use the service:

Please contact the SICPF first to consult with us.

We will consider the time schedule(s) and type of interpretation and decide whether it is possible to dispatch an interpreter.
Typical clients include administrative agencies, schools, and the like. If a client is a foreign resident, the SICPF will contact each relevant institution and ask them to submit the "Dispatch Request Form (Form 1)".

※When requestion services for preliminary daycare center visits before applying for daycare, the foreign resident will be required to submit a request form.
Please confirm the terms of use and provide necessary information for the interpreter (materials to be used on the day etc).

If you need to contact the interpreter in advance, please do so through SICPF.
★Day of ★ As a general rule, interpretation should be no longer than two hours.

A SICPF staff may accompany the interpreter to help facilitate the interpretation service.
Please submit "Post-Use Questionnaire (Form 2)" to SICPF within 14 days after using the service.

This system is managed as a supplementary project in Sapporo City, and SICPF will provide transportation expenses for interpreters.
There is no expense for the clients.

Please feel free to contact us first.: International Community Bureau
TEL: 011-211-2105 FAX: 011-232-3833
Contact us via inquiry form

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