The Chiyoda Ward government in Tokyo started in June providing information about the ward to foreign tourists with a free app in eight languages. The app has a function to translate Japanese into seven foreign languages both in voice and text.
"We want to actively provide information about our ward to foreign tourists," said a ward government official.
The app incorporates material from "Koho Chiyoda" (Publicity Chiyoda), a tabloid-sized newsletter of about 10 pages that is published twice a month.
It includes information about actions and policies of the ward, tax, tourism and various events. The ward distributes about 50,000 copies of each issue, at the ward office, at train stations and inserted in newspapers.
The ward government also began on June 5 to offer information via a free app, called "Catalog Pocket," which can be used on smartphones and tablet devices.
After starting up the app and opening "Koho Chiyoda," users may choose from seven languages -- English, Chinese, Korean, Thai, Portuguese, Spanish and Indonesian -- by touching articles on the screen. Japanese articles can be translated into the seven languages both in voice and text. Chinese translations are available in both simplified and traditional Chinese. The app is aimed at sending ward information to foreign tourists visiting the Imperial Palace, the Akihabara district and other areas in the ward, as well as foreign students attending schools in the ward.
According to Morisawa Inc., based in Osaka, which produced the app, there are about 60 municipal governments in the country that share publicity and tourism information via the company's apps so far. Many of the apps have foreign language translation features. Similar service is offered by Meguro, Shinagawa and Setagaya wards among Tokyo's 23 wards.
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