Kitakyushu City announced a new service that allows simultaneous interpretation in seven languages beginning on June 1 at 9 am. The service aims to provide prompt reactions to 119 calls from foreigners. The seven languages are English, Chinese, Korean, Spanish, Portuguese, Vietnamese and Thai, and the service is offered 24 hours a day, every day. When the Kitakyushu fire department receives a 119 call from a foreigner, they will connect to an interpreter call center and respond to the request while talking between the caller and the interpreter. Kitakyushu City is the first to include Vietnamese and Thai languages. Source: NHK, 5/29/2017
Photo: Kitakyushu City
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