City northeast of Tokyo introduces translation tablets for foreign residents

Omitama, a city located northeast of Tokyo, has recently implemented six tablets equipped with a multilingual translation app at various service counters. This initiative aims to address the language barriers faced by the growing number of foreign residents, currently numbering 2,375 from 36 countries. As language barriers have led to prolonged visits to city hall, officials hope the translation app will enhance communication between municipal employees and foreign residents.

The app supports 13 languages, including English, Chinese, Korean, and Indonesian, and is projected to cater to around 60% of the city's foreign population. Users simply speak into the tablet, and the translated text appears on the screen and is also spoken aloud. The tablets are expected to cost the city approximately 826,000 yen ($5,400).

Additionally, the city plans to release a guidebook for foreign nationals moving to Omitama, offering essential information about taxes, pensions, garbage disposal, and emergency procedures. According to an official from the city's general affairs division, while complete multilingual support is challenging, this step is anticipated to facilitate smoother communication for foreign residents.