Translation apps help break language barriers at Chubu driving schools

Japan Times

12 hours ago

Driving schools in the Chubu region have started using translation apps that recognize spoken words and automatically translate them into other languages.
Amid an increase in traffic accidents involving foreign drivers, these apps are expected to help communicate Japanese traffic laws to students who are not fluent in Japanese.
Homechigiru Driving School in Ise, Mie Prefecture, began using an app developed by a group company in April. The app supports English, Burmese, Chinese and Vietnamese, and it was first introduced to Vietnamese students on a trial basis.
On a smartphone attached to the dashboard of a training vehicle, the Japanese words spoken by the instructor in the passenger seat are instantly translated on the app during driving lessons and tests. The translated speech is read aloud, so students don't need to look at the screen while driving. The app also simultaneously translates the student's speech into Japanese.
Initially, there were some issues with accuracy, but updates have improved performance. A full-scale rollout is planned for this summer, with additional languages expected to be supported.
Shingo Kato, 46, the school's assistant manager, said that the demand for foreign workers is growing amid labor shortages in the transportation industry. 'We want to eliminate language barriers' by using the app, he said.
According to the school and other sources, some driving schools have refused enrollment of foreign nationals with limited Japanese skills, citing difficulties in providing practical driving instruction.
Most foreign nationals at Homechigiru Driving School are either technical interns working in the Chubu region or international students, who typically obtain a driver's license through lessons offered in training camps.
Around 200 Chinese and 100 Vietnamese people have been enrolling in the school annually, with those struggling with the Japanese language having been taught by instructors fluent in their native languages. Amid rising demand, however, the app was introduced so that any instructor could accurately convey traffic rules.
As Japan's birthrate continues to fall, securing enough students has become a challenge for driving schools. Foreign nationals, who enroll year-round, help fill the gap during off-peak seasons when fewer high school students apply.
'Many of them want to properly learn Japan's traffic rules before getting a license,' Kato said. 'We hope to help prevent tragic accidents by conveying the rules.'
A smartphone screen shows spoken Japanese translated into Vietnamese on a translation app used at Homechigiru Driving School in Ise, Mie Prefecture. |
Chunichi Shimbun
At Chubu Nippon Driver School in Nagoya, a collaboration with Tokyo-based printing firm Toppan led to the adoption of an upgraded version of the school's translation app last fall. The app now includes specialized terminology for driving schools in multiple languages and can be used during enrollment, classroom lessons and practical training.
The app has been sold to more than 10 driving schools nationwide. 'We hope this will promote the acceptance of more foreign students,' a representative of the school said.
Meanwhile, traffic accidents involving foreign drivers have been on the rise. In 2024, 7,286 such cases were reported, which was up by 342 from the previous year and accounted for 2.7% of all traffic accidents in the country.
During a parliamentary committee session in May, National Police Agency Councilor Tatsuya Abe noted that differences in traffic rules — such as driving on the left side of the road in Japan as opposed to the right side in many other countries — may be contributing to the increase in accidents.
Incidents involving driving in the wrong direction, as well as drunken driving have also drawn attention. In May, a foreign national drove the wrong way on the Shin-Meishin Expressway in Kameyama, Mie Prefecture, injuring four people. In the same month in Misato, Saitama Prefecture, a car driven by another foreign national plowed into a group of elementary school students, injuring four.
In both cases, the drivers were reportedly driving under the influence of alcohol, and had obtained the Japanese licenses by converting those issued in other countries.
According to NPA statistics, 75,905 people acquired Japanese licenses through the foreign license conversion system in 2024. The number has increased by 2.5 times over the past decade.
While the link between the conversion system and a rise in traffic accidents involving foreign drivers is not clear, critics argue that the written test on Japanese traffic rules required for conversion is too easy, and the government is considering tightening the regulations.
Yasumi Ito, professor at the University of Yamanashi's Graduate School and an expert on traffic science, noted that rental car accidents by foreign drivers often involve right-turn collisions or intersection crashes, possibly due to their unfamiliarity with Japan's rule to drive on the left side.
Ito stressed the importance of having foreign drivers thoroughly learn Japanese traffic rules and manners. 'It's important to raise their awareness for safety under the guidance of experienced instructors,' he said.
This section features topics and issues from the Chubu region covered by the Chunichi Shimbun. The original article was published June 8.