Japanese tourism needs foreign languages

Author: Shigeyuki Kaneko kshigeyuki2001@yahoo.com

Dear reader,

In August 2002, the Japanese Ministry of Construction and Transport (MLIT) announced a new policy of making Japan an "international tourism nation" .
In these statements, English (or other languages such as in Korean and Chinese) signs are required in major places (tourist attractions, transports, restaurants, souvenir shops, police stations and police boxes), and it must done by 2007. In addition, the policy also requires that English and other language training for the staff to study these languages overseas for short periods.
In addition, the Japanese government will ask the following opinion of foreigners in these government designated tourist places: "Which things do foreign tourists want improved?"
I agree with that the ministry's policy, but in Japan, there still exists the following problems that many foreigners might be bothered by. For example, the lack of English (or other languages) signs and foreign language speaking people in such places as buses, taxis, trains, domestic ferries, tourist attractions and hotel. Other problems are, there are only few foreign money exchange places, such as the banks, at major hotels and few number of convenience stores.
Thus I have several ideas to mention to each category, which points should improve for foreigners, that the policy the ministry was already announced.

-For Buses-

Buses in the country are entirely lacking in that is available an information in English, except for airport buses in most cities (but I found that there is no English sign even for the airport buses in Kanazawa and some rural areas) and some major tourist attractions such as Nikko, Kyoto, Beppu etc. As a result, foreigners are not able to take any kind of buses unless they must recognize to understanding what is written in Japanese. As well as an announcement is announced in Japanese only. Although I think long-distance expressway buses are essential means of transport to getting around as domestic airlines and JR (Japan Railways) trains, however that the reason above, most foreigners still take domestic airlines or JR trains instead.

-How to improve the use of buses-

For the city buses, use English signs for the bus routes, fare tables, timetable information on using buses at the bus stops, fare displays and indicators in the car. Use seals with "Please press the button above your seat if you wish to get off the bus." Have bilingual announcement particularly in major tourist attractions such as Nikko, Kamakura, Kyoto, Nara, Mt.Aso (Kumamoto), Beppu etc.

(Above: Seiriken (Ticket), passengers must take a ticket when they board the bus;
Fare indicator, the passengers check their fare before they get off from the bus, and pay a fare according to the number on their tickets. However, both of display are marked in Japanese, so foreign tourists cannot understand these displays.)

For the long-distance expressway buses, English is absolutely required on all signs of the terminal including bus departure indicators. Also the staff (clerks at the ticket window, at the bus depots, at expressway buses reservation center; and the drivers) must speak English (or other languages).
Inside the bus, are also required in the service counter (served hot and cold water, coffee, a Japanese tea and juice depending on the companies; see the photo below); a towel pot above the counter; the toilet is below the counter. There are explained that how to use the services, unfortunately, there are only written in Japanese. They marked as "hot water", "cold water", "coffee", "(Japanese) tea", "spoon", "sugar", "cream" etc, which served in the separated case. There is also a paper cup, which served in the separated case and wrote as " Please take out a cup from a case", is only written in Japanese, too.

In the toilet, an English sign is just written in the door. The inside is written in Japanese only.
Inside the toilet, it is marked as the following:
There is a button to flush the toilet after the passenger use. Above the button there is a notice that is written, as "You do not wash away anything into the toilet except a toilet paper".

On the door is how to lock the door while the person using the toilet.

In addition, some operators use videos to make announcements about accommodation that is provided and instructions on how to use the services on the bus. However, the announcements are announced in Japanese, therefore foreigners cannot easily understand them.
So, these announcements should have English subtitles, then foreigners easily understand them.
Of course, an announcement in English is required for all operators. In other things, an English version of a leaflet to guide facilities of the bus is providing in the seat pocket (some companies printed it on top of the seat), as well. (Note that it is currently provided in Japanese only).
Finally, of course all bus tickets are required to be marked in English by 2007.

* These pictures are equipment instructions on expressway buses. However, all explanations are in Japanese. So, foreign tourists cannot understand these instructions.

Photos: (Top and middle) The Ichibata Bus (Shimane Prefecture) was introduced a new model double-decker bus to the Izumo/Matsue - Tokyo route "Susanoo" in April 2003. However, no English letters are written except for a "Door way"sign at the door and a logo "HIGHWAY BUS Susanoo" (note that Susanoo is written in Katakana.)
(Bottom) A direction signboard for an overnight route "Sylphide" (a French word for "sylph" or a lovely woman) that runs Maizuru to Tokyo. The Kyoto Kotsu also introduced a new model bus in April 2003, however the board is marked in Japanese only.

P.S: I think most bus companies are still lack of either bilingualism or internationalism, because as you see these pictures above, the Ichibata Bus, Shimane, was introduced a new model bus in April 2003, however English is not written entire the bus except a sign of "door way" and a logo "HIGHWAY BUS". Why the Ichibata Bus does not mark any English sign for the directions?
Indeed, most companies use English for their nicknames, designs and interior and exterior of the bus only, and do not use English for passenger information and directions inside the bus. Even the Keihan Bus, Kyoto, stopped English announcements in April 2002. Still, most operators say: "We do not think its necessary to provide information in English (or other languages) or language training to our staff because only a few foreigners take our services everyday".

One example of this is that airport bus staff do not do language training. So then why is it still that only a few foreigners take expressway or long-distance buses in Japan? As I already written before, information is normally available in Japanese only.

-For Taxis-

Taxis are not easy to use for foreigners either, due to the same reason as buses; furthermore, still, some drivers may not pick up any foreigners, because they might have in their theory of "Gaijin" or foreigners; and they also suggest that any foreigners cannot speak Japanese. Therefore, some foreigners might be encountered that the problem when they are waiting for.
However, I think that their behavior is awareness of any foreigners are excluded from their society.

So, the Ministry should make a policy that taxis are easy to use everywhere for foreigners. In my suggestion of making a policy is:
They should start a free interpretation service is available throughout the country. Here, I will introduce to a friendly taxi service for foreigners in South Korea; the service above is now available in Seoul and some other cities, which is interpreting between Korean to English, Japanese and Chinese upon request if the driver cannot speak any language. Besides, it is printed in the door, so passengers can be look at a sticker easily.

In addition, English signs are also required for the displaying the indicator "vacancy"; information on using taxis in taxi stands.

(Above: A red taxi in Yokohama.)

-For Railways-

The Japanese Railway network entirely is well developed throughout the country. It is also provided with many English signs in most facilities. (Station names, platforms, trains, even toilets both in the station and train); however, there are still lacking in English signs. For example, train tickets, lockers, kiosks, and announcement of arrival and departure trains from the station. Nowadays, in some areas, such as Tokyo and Osaka, fare charts and ticket machines are marked in English, but above of all are still not. Even there are no English signs in fare charts and ticket machines rest of Tokyo and Osaka. Many foreigners can't read Japanese characters!
I will mention to the tourism policy of using English in public transports of South Korea again, a train ticket in South Korea is entirely marked in Korean and English. (Which sections the passenger take; which seat number the passengers sit: date of departure and issue; name of the train etc; even lockers a subway station in Seoul that the instruction is written in English, Japanese and Chinese.) In addition, they have a ticket window for that is available for foreigners in major stations.

(Above: a couple of JR train ticket, both of all explanations are written in Japanese; in addition, the date of issue (right) is written in the Japanese calendar.)

In my suggestion, all train tickets (as well as bus and domestic ferry tickets) should mark in Japanese and English entirely; furthermore, the date of issue is only written in the western calendar, is not using the Japanese calendar. The Japanese calendar is not recognized well among foreigners.

Moreover, signs in the platform for waiting a train and fare adjustment are also required to mark in English. Currently, both are only marked in Japanese, I visited the following web page that focused about lack of English signs in many Japanese major facilities. He focused that a fare adjustment at a railway station in Tokyo (see the photo below). There is entirely marked in Japanese! So, foreigners might get a trouble when the fare is adjusting.

English signs are required in the following places: public signs (maps, traffic signs); a menu of restaurants/ coffee shops; a list of prices for goods at super markets, convenience stores, department stores, of ingredients for food; instructions of how to drink the medicine for drugs, of vending machines for selling soft drinks, alcohols, food, prepaid cards for using transport and telephone; major facilities such as toilet, convention facility, police station /box and an instruction of lockers in railway stations, bus terminals, airports, tourism attractions.

-Tourist attractions-

Japan has many well-known tourist attractions in the world, such as Tokyo, Nikko, Kamakura, Hakone, Kyoto, Nara, Himeji, Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Beppu etc.
However, the number of tourist is still lower then either other developed or Asian countries. The worst problem is, still the Ministry and the JNTO (The Japan National Tourism Organization) in overseas offices are less organized an international tourism; so many foreigners don't know about places of interest in Japan.
Another problem is many foreigners might be obsessed with a language barrier. That is, lack of English (or other languages) signs in major facilities and speaking person anywhere.
So, as I mentioned above, all signs are written in English (or other languages such as Korean, Chinese etc.) I am also suggested that the Ministry designated places should establish duty-free shops which deal with foreigners to sell a special hand-made crafts and products of the region.
Furthermore, they sometimes have a bargain to sell all their products for foreign tourists.

- Money exchange-

Foreign money exchange in Japan is not easy to convert to the Japanese yen from other currencies, in particular, converting from currencies beside the US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Britain and Europe. Therefore, outside the airport, it is not easy to find places to convert money, except in the bank and at major hotels. (Nowadays even it is possible to convert at some convenience stores.)
In western countries, however, is easy to convert from other currencies and to find places, even possible in Hong Kong and Singapore.

In my opinion, money exchange is easy to convert from other currencies everywhere within the country. So it should available places of foreign money exchange ATMs and windows in major districts of throughout the country, not only available in the bank and at major hotels.
In addition, it is also setting up money exchange places in the departure terminal of airports. The system is currently not available in Japan; however, that service is also available in many countries.

- Available information on the Internet-

In Japan, most organizations offer their official web pages on the Internet; however, most sites are available in Japanese only. While in other countries, a lot of sites offer to such pages in English.

The Ministry should make their official pages available in English or other languages (particularly in Korean and Chinese) within five years. Thus foreigners can be visiting their official sites more easily.

- Language trainings-

All new employees of above occupation, they must have a qualification of TOEIC when they are joining a company.
Besides, an English (and other languages) training is required twice or three times per week for all staff; moreover, training and studying the language abroad would improve their ability in English and other languages, as well as expanding international commutations.
If the Japanese staff speaks English (or other languages) not very well, they should employ foreigners in the following places. (Staff of train stations, bus terminals, tourist information center/ attractions, department stores, souvenir shops; bus and taxi drivers; police officers etc.)

-Others-

The Ministry must check all public services to provide an English and other language information and speaking-staff once or twice every year after 2007. If not, the Government allows entry to foreign firms to easily participate into Japanese tourism industries (transports, tourism attractions etc) to compete with Japanese companies or to invest in stocks and shares of those industries. Imagin, for instance, the Grey Hound Bus Company, a US based Bus Company, they might enter into the Japanese bus industries and operate expressway buses between Tokyo to Kyoto, Osaka etc either around or under 4,000 yen one-way. Of course, all passenger information and the staff are available in bilingual or multi-lingual. In addition, the company would conduct their meeting and training in bilingual.

Furthermore, the Ministry gives a "tourism award" to these industries every year, if they improve their service and performance towards foreigners and tourism.

-Conclusion-

Japan is still less number of foreign tourists in rest of the world; in addition, has many problems for foreigners, in particular, lack of using English and other languages, and many foreigners might be obsessed with a language barrier while they are staying.
But, I hope that problems should overcome and make a good effort time to time. In that case, expect to be increasing a great number of tourists from other countries; furthermore, in the future, all problems are perhaps demised and foreign tourists easy to trip the country without any problem.

Shigeyuki Kaneko

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