A11yTokyo - Accessibility Tokyo Meetup

• Event Page in Japanese on Connpass
• How to get to the venue
• Venue: You won't be able to enter the venue after 19:40. Although this meetup page says it is an in-person event, this is a hybrid event that is streamed on Zoom.
• Language: This session will be conducted in Japanese.
  Japanese captions and Auto-translation will also be available

The future opened up by “Captions on glasses” and “Audio Description on smartphones”
There are two types of accessibility support: open and closed (second screen). Twenty years ago, when we became aware of the problem that people with visual and hearing impairments could not enjoy Japanese films, the only captions available in movie theaters were open subtitles.
At the time, separate films with baked-in captions had to be created, which was costly, and Japanese films with barrier-free captions were virtually nonexistent.

That's when we thought, “What if there were glasses that could display captions?” and began our experiments. Today, most major Japanese films are compatible with “Captions on glasses” and “Audio Description on smartphones.”

This second-screen accessibility support system, which has been realized in movie theaters, is also being applied to “Multilingual Subtitles” and “commentaries,” and its business use is expanding. What lies ahead in this roadmap?

I will discuss the future of "Second-Screen Accessibility Support".

Accessible, Hybrid, Multilingual Meetup
A11yTokyo Meetup is a unique meetup that features various genres of 'accessibility', conducted in a hybrid format of on-site and online broadcasting, primarily in Japanese and English.

Many foreigners participate in the on-site venue in Tokyo, building networks through socialization sessions. We use the voice recognition technology app 'UD Talk' to provide real-time captions, and its automatic translation feature allows for multi-language subtitle translation.

In past Tokyo venues, many Japanese and foreigners have participated. The post-session networking opportunity is a chance to build a global network! Additionally, people from various countries participate online from both within Japan and abroad.

Time Schedule
19:15 Venue Open
19:30 - 19:45 Introduction
19:45 - 20:30 Workshop, Q&A
20:30 - 21:00 Networking (Only at the venue)

Speaker Profile

Kouji Kawano (Media Access Support Center)
Director and Executive Director of the NPO Media Access Support Center (MASC).

In 2005, while working as an audio engineer, he learned that many people were unable to fully enjoy Japanese films and videos due to hearing impairments. He began developing a system to provide subtitles without being constrained by existing methods or costs.
In 2008, he established an NPO by inviting participation from the film industry, disability organizations, and support groups.

To make the emotional impact of films accessible to all, he proposed the widespread adoption of barrier-free subtitles and audio guides for visually and hearing-impaired individuals and the elderly. He developed innovative solutions such as “subtitle guides viewable through glasses” and “audio guides accessible via smartphones,” which have since become standard in the film industry. In 2023, he was honored with the Prime Minister's Award for Contributions to Universal Design and Barrier-Free Promotion.

Access to Venue

• Location: Open Collaboration Hub LODGE (LINE Yahoo Co., Ltd., Kioicho Office)
• Address: 17th Floor, Garden Terrace Kioicho, 1-3 Kioicho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo (directly connected to Nagatacho Station)
• The detail is documented in How to Get to the Venue
• An entry pass is required. Please fill in your name on the Google form, and it will be given to you at the 2nd-floor reception.
• *Online participation is planned via a Zoom webinar. URL and other details will be provided in advance.

Sponsors
Thanks to LINE Yahoo for providing their venue.