noun
go-between; intermediary; mediator
Refers to a person who acts as a communication channel between two parties, often in business or diplomacy. The metaphor is of a pipe connecting two sides.
彼は両社のパイプ役として交渉をまとめた。
He acted as a go-between for the two companies and brought the negotiations to a conclusion.
国際会議では、通訳がパイプ役になることも多い。
At international conferences, interpreters often serve as intermediaries.