Easy to Understand Signage for Non-Japanese

Close Up Japan | 外国人によりわかりやすい標識

Easy to Understand Signage for Non-Japanese

A movement has been gathering momentum to make signage easier for non-Japanese to understand in the run-up to the opening of the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics. The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) is considering alterations to the Japanese “tomare” (stop) signpost so that it includes the English word “stop” and changing its triangular shape to octagonal – which is more common throughout the globe. Twelve train lines run through Shinjuku Station where 3.5 million people alight and board trains each day. Information displayed on concurses is written differently depending on the rail company, making it confusing for non-Japanese. There are three different anglicized versions for the JR Shin-Minami’guchi gate: “Shin-Minami Entrance,” “Shin South Gate,” and “New South Exit.” Up until several years ago, signposts were mostly written in romaji, (phonetic transliteration of Japanese script into the Roman alphabet) so that non-Japanese could read them. Following on from this, in line with globalization, more and more signs mix together romaji and English. However, as more people pointed out that although signs could be read, they couldn’t be understood, a movement to change signage into English got underway. Signage in Shinjuku Station concourses is scheduled to be standardized in English by March this year. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government is planning to increase the number of signposts in English at Tokyo Station, Shibuya Station and other locations. On the other hand, there is no international standard for map symbols, and Japan uses its own symbols on Japanese maps. The Geospatial Information Authority of Japan (GSI) has made new map symbols, which are easy for non-Japanese to understand. For example, in Japanese maps the Ⓗ symbol represents a hotel, but in maps for non-Japanese, the symbol has been altered to a person lying on a bed. And the 卍 symbol for temples has been replaced with an image of a three story pagoda. These symbols are used in maps for non-Japanese, but are not used in maps for Japanese.

東京とうきょうオリンピックおりんぴくパラリンピックぱらりんぴっく
toukyou orinnpikku pararinnpikku
(the) Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics
開催かいさい
kaisai
(the) opening (of)
けて、
ni mukete,
(in the run-up) to
外国人がいこくじん
gaikokujinn
non-Japanese
けの
muke no
for
表示ひょうじ
hyouji wo
signage
わかりやすいように
wakariyasui you ni
easier to understand
しようとする
shiyouto suru
to make
うごききが
ugoki ga
(a) movement
活発かっぱつになっています。
kappatsu ni natte imasu.
has been gathering momentum
警視庁けいしちょう
keishichou ha
Metropolitan Police Department (MPD)
日本語にほんご
nihonngo
Japanese
no
in
」まれの
tomare no
Tomare (stop)
道路どうろ標識ひょうしき
douro hyoushiki ni
(the) signpost (so that)
英語えいご
eigo no
English word
「stop」を
stop wo
(the) stop
くわえること
kuwaeru koto
(it) include
や、
ya,
and
三角形さんかっけい
sannkakkei wo
(its) triangle shape
世界せかい
sekai
(the) globe
de
throughout
一般的いっぱんてき
ippannteki na
(which) is (more) common
八角形はちかっけい
hachikakkei
octagonal shape
ni
to
える
kaeru
changing
検討けんとうをしています。
kenntou wo shite imasu.
is considering (alterations)
1いちにち
ichinichi ni
each day
350万さんびゃくごじゅうまんにん
sannbyaku gojyuumann ninn ga
three point five million people
りする
noriori suru
(where) alight (and) board trains
新宿しんじゅくえきには
shinnjyuku eki niha
Shinjuku Station
12じゅうに路線ろせん
jyuuni rosenn ga
twelve train lines
れています。
noriire te imasu.
run through
ここの
kokono
[here]
共有きょうゆう通路つうろ
kyouyuu tsuuro
concourses
no
on
案内あんない表示ひょうじ
annnai hyouji ha
information displayed
鉄道てつどう会社がいしゃ
tetsudou gaisha
(the) rail company
によって
ni yotte
depending on
ことなり、
kotonari,
(is written) differently
外国人がいこくじん
gaikokujinn
non-Japanese
ha
for
戸惑とまどっています。
tomadotte imasu.
making (it) confusing
JRじぇいあーる新南口しんみなみぐち
jeia-ru shinn minamiguchi
(the) JR Shin-Minami’guchi gate
には
niha
for
3さん種類しゅるい
sannshurui no
three
ことなる
kotonaru
different
英語えいご表示ひょうじ
eigo hyouji ga
anglicized versions
あります。
arimasu.
there are
「Shin-Minami Entrance」
Shin-Minami Entrance
Shin-Minami Entrance
「Shin South Gate」
Shin South Gate
Shin South Gate
「New South Exit」
New South Exit
(and) New South Exit
です。
desu.
[(they are]
案内あんない表示ひょうじは、
annnai hyouji ha,
signposts
外国人がいこくじんにも
gaikokujinn nimo
non-Japanese
める
yomeru
could read (them)
ように
youni
so that
最近さいきん
saikinn
several years ago <recently>
までは
made ha
up until
ローマ字ろーまじ
ro-maji
romaji
での
deno
in
表記ひょうき
hyouki ga
written
おおられました。
ooku mirare mashita.
were mostly
その
sonogo,
following on from this
グローバル化ぐろーばるか
guro-baruka ga
globalization
すすむにつれて、
susumu ni tsurete,
in line with
ローマ字ろーまじ
ro-maji
romaji
to
and
英語えいご
eigo no
English
混合こんごう
konngou
mix together
表記ひょうき
hyouki ga
signs
えました。
fue mashita.
more and more
しかし、
shikashi,
however
表示ひょうじ
hyouji wo
signs
めても
yometemo
could be read although
意味いみがわからない
imiga wakaranai
(they) couldn’t be understood
という
toiu
that
こえ
koe ga
people
え、
fue,
more pointed out as
英語えいご表記ひょうき
eigo hyouki ni
English signage
える
kaeru
to change into
うごききが
ugoki ga
(a) movement
活発かっぱつになりました。
kappatsu ni narimashita.
got underway
新宿しんじゅくえき
shinnjyuku eki no
Shinjuku station
共通きょうつう通路表記ひょうきを、
kyoutsuu tuuro hyouki wo,
concourses singnage
今年ことし
kotoshi no
this year
3月さんがつ
sanngatsu
March
までに
made ni
by
英語えいご
eigo
English
ni
in
統一とういつする
touitsu suru
to be standardized
予定よていです。
yotei desu.
is scheduled
東京都とうきょうとは、
toukyouto ha,
The Tokyo Metropolitan Government
英語えいご表示ひょうじ
eigo hyouji wo
(in) English (the number of) signposts
東京とうきょうえき
toukyou eki
Tokyo Station
ya
and
渋谷しぶやえき
shibuya eki
Shibuya Station
など
nado
other locations
にも
nimo
at
ひろげていく
hirogete iku
to increase
意向いこうです。
ikou desu.
is planning
一方いっぽう
ippou,
on the other hand
地図ちず
chizu
map (symbols)
には
niha
for
国際こくさい基準きじゅん
kokusai kijyunn ga
international standard
なく、
naku,
there is no and
日本にほん
nihonn ha
Japan
独自どくじ記号きごう
dokuji no kigou wo
its own symbols
日本にほん地図ちず
nihonn no chizu
Japanese maps
ni
on
使つかっています。
tsukatte imasu.
uses
国土地理院こくどちりいんは、
kokudochiriinn ha,
(the) Geospatial Information Authority of Japan (GSI)
外国人がいこくじん
gaikokujinn
non-Japanese
ga
for
理解りかい
rikai
to understand
しやすい
shiyasui
(which) are easy
あたらしい
atarashii
new
地図ちず記号きごう
chizu kigou wo
map symbols
つくりました。
tsukuri mashita.
has made
たとえば、
tatoeba,
for example
日本にほん地図ちず
nihonn no chizu
Japanese maps
de
in
Ⓗは
Ⓗ ha
(the) Ⓗ symbol
ホテルほてる
hoteru wo
(a) hotel
あらわします
arawashi masu
represents
が、
ga,
but
外国人がいこくじん
gaikokujinn
non-Japanese
けの
muke no
for
地図ちず
chizu
maps
では
deha
in
ベッドべっど
beddo
(a) bed
ni
on
よこたわる
yokotawaru
lying
ひと
hito no
(a) person
記号きごう
kigou
(the) symbol
ni
to
わります。
kawarimasu.
has been altered
また、
mata,
and
寺院じいん
jiinn no
for temples
まんじ記号きごうは、
mannji no kigou ha,
(the) 卍 symbol
三重さんじゅう
sannjyuu no
three story
とう
tou
pagoda
ni
with (an image of)
なります。
narimasu.
has been replaced
これらの記号きごう
korera no kigou ha
these symbols
外国人がいこくじん
gaikokujinn
non-Japanese
けの
muke no
for
地図ちず
chizu
maps
ni
in
使つかわれます
tsukaware masu
are used
が、
ga,
but
日本人にほんじん
nihonnjinn
Japanese
けの
muke no
for
地図ちず
chizu
maps
では
deha
in
使つかわれません。
tsukaware masenn.
are not used

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