Telling Jokes in Japan

The businessman started his speech with a joke, the interpreter translated it and the audience shouted with laughter. The businessman was pleasantly surprised, it wasn’t even particularly funny. He told another joke and the same thing happened. It was the best joke he’d ever given – every joke got a laugh. After he finished, he thanked the interpreter and asked how she’d translated his jokes so successfully. It was easy she said. Each time he told a joke she warned the audience he was telling a joke, apologised for being unable to translate it and asked the audience to laugh.

Peregrine Hodson: A Circle Round the Sun