[advance]

The point of translation is to convey true meanings within the medium of another language. While a transliteration is not a translation, it has a very similar goal and together, translations and transliterations actually enable the understanding of cultural aspects, such as the use of the word "sempai".

The professional translation industry actually prefers the freedom to use transliterations. This is why/ you see "-san" and all sorts of other things out there. To completely remove a word's roots is to completely define it. To completely define it is not always a translation because words can carry multiple meanings which are defined within their contexts. To define it one way means that you cannot define it any other way, but there can be subtle nuances that are missed just because a person sticks to the first context and definition.

To use false substitutions is just wrong. A false translation is not a translation.