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In yet another step forward in preparations for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games and the large number of tourists expected, the Tokyo Fire Department will be expanding the number of "English-capable emergency response teams" to 36, nearly three times the current number, by the end of April 2016.
These specialized units will be able to go out on calls that require English ability in order to most effectively deal with any emergency that may occur during the Games, NHK reported. Up until now, firefighters and other emergency personnel had been equipped with "communication boards" and pictures with English and Japanese writing which allowed for foreigners to point to their symptoms or situation. This, however, is not as quick or effective as direct verbal communication in English.
As of now, only 13 such teams exist across eight stations and cover all 23 wards of Tokyo, NHK reported. Six of the members received training overseas, while 40 others were trained in Japan.
© Japan Today
6 Comments
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onagagamo
How about highly-trained doctors and nurses too?
Disillusioned
English capable? Does that mean the majority of the population is not capable of learning English? I suppose it is a step in the right direction, but Japan has very long way to go before it becomes an English friendly country. The restaurant industry is gonna be the one that suffers most. All the fine Japanese restaurants have beautifully written kanji menus, which looks like chicken scratchings to foreigners. Most foreigners are not going to be able to experience real Japanese cuisine due to not being able to read the menus. Places like Saizeriya and Gusto will do well with their picture menus, but the majority of places are gonna fail!
Alex Einz
chicken scratchings lol.. now I feel like some yakitori. 1.The quality Japanese restaurants dont need tourists in em. 2.All those that cater to tourists already got english menus 3.I rather tourists to stay in the gusto-saizeriya areas and not bother my wine wa with their screaming
citizen2000
Is 5 years enough for those people to move from pictures communication to English speaking communication LOL ?
NZ2011
I have always thought it would be nice to be given a little credit card sized printout for visitors of the important numbers, police, fire, ambulance and various language assistance lines.
toshiko
@DISILLUSIONEDS: English capable emergency team inckude Medical professional people. Japanese learn English in schools but when emergency comes, their knowledge do not include medical emergency talk. There are many medically trained doctors who studied in USA Universities. When Oyumoicx depect large amount ot Americans, this preparation is necessary. They are visiting Jaoab for Olympic. Not to visit izakaya. They are not coming to eat chicken yakitori which they can eat in their country everywhere, Just Olympic.