News Multilingual real-time screens help overseas tourists in Japan

Transparent displays manufactured by Toppan Holdings that convert spoken inquiries into Japanese are turning out to be a blessing for foreign visitors. These devices, capable of translating sentences from various foreign languages into Japanese in real time, are being set up at locations like train stations, hotels, and retail counters across Japan, assisting tourists in better understanding and exploring their environment.




In October 2023, Toppan, a company based in Japan that specializes in printing, materials, and communication technology, launched a real-time translation system known as "VoiceBiz UCDisplay". As per the company's reports, approximately 30 of these devices have been deployed at various locations, including railway stations, retail stores, hotels, and amusement parks.

Keikyu Corporation has equipped each of its three stations with five translation devices. These stations include two at Haneda Airport and Shinagawa Station, among the busiest railway junctions in Tokyo. The system is a fusion of the company's proprietary translation software and a 31.5-inch see-through display. In real-time, it can translate 12 languages, such as English, Chinese, and Indonesian, into Japanese.

One Malaysian traveller, Vincent Chen, approaches an employee of Keikyu Railway at Tokyo's Haneda Airport. Speaking into the display, he says, in English, "I don't have enough [money] on my card, so I would like to charge my card." The clear screen between him and the employee displays his words in English and Japanese to the railway employee on the other side. The staff member replies in Japanese, "Please put your card on the black tray," his words are also rendered in both languages. Although the word "card" is incorrectly transcribed as "car," the interaction proceeds smoothly. "It's cool because my request was recognized almost precisely," Chen says. "Maybe [the glitch] happened because I am wearing a face mask," he smiles after photographing the display.

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