A cross-interview to uncover what Porsche Japan President Philipp von Witzendorff is seeing and thinking now. Our guest this time is Miho Hashimoto, an interpreter in whom President Philipp places immense trust. Why did he decide she was the one to entrust his words to? And what do both the speaker and the conveyor of words consider to be the essence of communication?

"I felt she was an un-Japanese Japanese person."

This is how President Philipp recalls his first impression of interpreter Miho Hashimoto. It was during the first-anniversary event of Porsche Experience Center Tokyo on October 1, 2022.

Porsche Experience Center Tokyo is a brand experience facility operated by Porsche Japan. Located in Kisarazu City, Chiba Prefecture, it offers the opportunity to experience driving Porsche sports cars and is equipped with conference rooms for corporate and group events and conferences.

Hashimoto, who was in charge of interpretation at the ceremony held that day, greeted President Philipp on the first floor of the main building. By the time they moved to the second-floor lounge, they had already become quite comfortable with each other.

<President Philipp>
"She has an open, relaxed, and gentle demeanor compared to a typical Japanese person. Her vibe is somewhat foreign. That's what I meant by an un-Japanese Japanese person. I understood why when I later learned she grew up in America."

Hashimoto, on the other hand, also says she had a good impression of President Philipp from their first meeting.

<Hashimoto>
"He has a big heart and is easy to talk to. In my line of work, I meet many people, and I can grasp their characteristics after just a brief conversation. I felt that President Philipp and I could form a strong partnership."

"As an interpreter, I take on and convey someone's words. Therefore, even if the person is far superior in status to me, I must become that person. To do that, it might sound presumptuous, but I need to build an equal relationship. If someone is unapproachable or if it's difficult to voice questions, it impacts my work."

An interpreter's work is a split-second challenge. For conversations to flow smoothly through interpretation, one must gauge the nuances and intentions of the speaker's words and, at times, confirm them without hesitation. Often, there isn't time to be overly concerned with phrasing. Hashimoto felt that President Philipp possessed a depth of character that allowed her to speak frankly about important matters.

President Philipp is responsible for the Porsche brand in Japan. It is natural for him to demand a high level of skill from interpreters, to whom he entrusts his words in external communications, in order to protect the brand's value and promote it.

<President Philipp>
"There was a time when she told me, 'Please tell me so I can convey it accurately according to your intentions.' It was in that attitude, which goes beyond simply translating words, that I found I could trust her. I have worked with other interpreters. They were all skilled at translating what I said. She was different."

For example, when President Philipp tells a joke, his intention is to make the audience laugh. In other words, the desired outcome is to lighten the mood. Making people laugh with words requires technique, even in one's native language, but Hashimoto accomplishes this brilliantly.

<President Philipp>
"She not only translates my words accurately but also truly understands and 'conveys' my intentions. I can tell this from the audience's reaction, which aligns with my goals. When delivering a message to an audience, whether it's a serious talk, a humorous one, or something emotionally stirring, the crucial element is that the essence of the message is conveyed correctly. My trust in her deepened each time I realized she was achieving this."

President Philipp states, "Once you speak to someone, you must also observe the results." Communication, he explains, involves conveying emotions by combining the intention behind the words with the speaker's expression and other non-verbal cues.

<Hashimoto>
"As an interpreter, I believe words are triggers for action. President Philipp said that people speak with intention. And I don't just translate the literal words; I 'translate the intention.' While casual conversation at a cafe might not always have a deep intention, President Philipp's words are used in important business situations. Therefore, his words carry various intentions – to solve problems, to dispel doubts, to prompt action, to celebrate new car launches – and in all cases, he expects some form of action."

Hashimoto states that she holds herself accountable as an interpreter not just to convey words, but to commit to the results. With a smile, she looks directly at President Philipp and says, "I will get the results for you." President Philipp smiles and nods in satisfaction.

Interestingly, during this cross-talk, Hashimoto is simultaneously interpreting President Philipp's words into Japanese for us, speaking to us in Japanese, and conveying her own words to President Philipp in English. What's more, she does this while engaging in playful banter with President Philipp in English during pauses, laughing heartily.

I asked Hashimoto if there were any particular phrases President Philipp uses that signal he is speaking with extra care. This was to understand how he communicates when, as a leader, he must convey potentially negative information to his employees.

<Hashimoto>
"He often says, 'I have to be honest here.' So, when President Philipp says, 'I have to be honest here,' it means he is about to convey something candidly that cannot be glossed over with polite words. I choose my words with particular care to ensure his intention is conveyed accurately without misunderstanding."

As the representative of the Japanese subsidiary, meetings with the German headquarters are primarily conducted online. Given the difference in communication quality between online and offline interactions, how does President Philipp approach word choice?

<President Philipp>
"Online, it's difficult to read reactions and gauge the atmosphere. In meetings with German and other country representatives, or with our 70 employees in Japan, if the other person is right in front of me, I can immediately see their reactions. If they seem disengaged, I can adjust my tone or make a joke – I can make immediate decisions. But online, I can't grasp their reactions, so I can only say what I've prepared. Online meetings are convenient, and they have many advantages, but when I want to convey a message thoroughly or deepen relationships, offline is better."

Hashimoto's response to President Philipp's statement about online communication was truly professional.

<Hashimoto>
"It's fine if President Philipp feels that things aren't getting across online. But it's not acceptable for me to say that the interpretation didn't get across because it was online. Of course, if they fall asleep on the other side of the screen, there's nothing I can do (laughs). Online, I make a special effort to vary my tone, make eye contact with the person on screen, observe them carefully, adjust my pauses instantly, modulate my voice, and even repeat something President Philipp said only once if I judge it necessary, based on my own discretion. I employ various techniques."

"They don't expect me to just translate literally anymore," Hashimoto says with a laugh. President Philipp watches her with amusement. It was a scene that conveyed a deep trust, perhaps best described as that between comrades-in-arms, beyond mere business partners.

At the end of the talk, when asked about his favorite phrase, President Philipp offered an unfamiliar expression: "Et kütt wie et kütt." This phrase, from the Cologne dialect of German, means "It will turn out as it turns out." Perhaps the broad-mindedness that Hashimoto sensed in President Philipp from their first meeting stems from his relaxed approach to life.

Philipp von Witzendorff
President & CEO of Porsche Japan. After holding management positions at Mercedes-Benz in Canada, Germany, and other overseas markets, he served as Chairman of the Board of Porsche Retail Hamburg, a directly operated store, from April 2019. He assumed his current position on July 1, 2022.

Miho Hashimoto
Freelance conference interpreter. Born in Houston, Texas, USA, she spent her early childhood in Tokyo before living in San Francisco from the age of six. She returned to Japan in junior high school and graduated from Keio University, after which she joined Canon as a general employee. While working, she studied at an evening course at an interpreter training school and transitioned to a career as an interpreter. She is active on the front lines of business in fields such as healthcare, IT, and finance. She is also known for interpreting for Pikotaro and Fukkatsu. Her latest book is "If It Doesn't Exist in English, Let's Create It! Conveying Japanese That Can't Be Directly Translated" (Asahi Shuppan).