I collect old and rare books...some in foreign languages. Human translation is the best and preferably by someone "familiar" with the topic and/or familiar with terms/phrases. I've tried in the past several types of software on foreign books I've
copied from libraries, rare book stores and my own private collection...translations were horrible even in a language I speak/write very well (e.g. french) that allowed me see if the translation were accurate...technical books are the worst for software translation but ok for today's general books.
Luckily, when I was in college as a foreign student, I always had access to other students that could do translations for me especially financial books and market books. After college, I just continue using that type of resource as the most reliable (cheapest) although I tried software...that once included purchasing a special type of copying machine with a new type of OCR technology...not exactly accurate when there are columns and tables among the pages with text or the book is very old. The latter, I have many rare books that I wouldn't dare open wide enough to stretch the bindings for the purpose of copying from my own private collection. You just don't want one day to see pages fall out the next time you open the book.
In fact, many rare books in libraries (two particular books the OP asked about)...the library allows viewing only and only at the library. Actually, most libraries that have
rare books do
not allow copying. I found that out when I was in college at my own university and while visiting friends at other universities. Thus, I had to find a fellow student to go to the library with me and then translate the books...I then wrote down what was translated and made that my own English or French version on paper.
Today, most libraries don't even allow coping of rare books via hand held copying devices for those that are sneaky. Caught doing such can easily result in getting into a ton of trouble or even arrest.
Lastly, you've asked about the same books or similar books many years ago. I think you should just contact someone that speaks Japanese and then have that person locate rare book stores, libraries or universities that have copies in Japan. Next, you reserve the book for specific dates and travel to the location of the book considering these books seem important to you due to the fact you're still asking about them after all these years here at ET.
You can also wait more years and hope someone puts the translation on the internet or the book itself shows up for sale like amazon or ebay as someone has shown here for one of the books. Yet, after purchase, you'll still need someone to translate it for you (e.g. student from your local university...they'll work for cheap).
P.S. Contact Steve Nison and Felipe Tudela...they may still have copy or know someone that has a copy that's
translated.
P.S.S. A few times in the recent past I've seen rare books up for sale on Japanese auction websites. Find someone to do
regular searches for you if you don't understand the language.
