jasdooit

TOKYO — Only seven out of Japan’s 47 regional police departments offer a system for providing sign language interpreters to individuals with hearing disabilities during driver’s license renewal sessions, while 37 departments do not offer these services, as reported by the Mainichi Shimbun.

A revision to the Road Traffic Act in 2008 allowed individuals who are entirely deaf to acquire a driver’s license. Nevertheless, the survey indicates that sufficient access to information remains unavailable for safety-related classes.

The Mainichi carried out a survey targeting all 47 prefectural police headquarters between February and March, receiving replies from each of them. When asked if they offer sign language interpreters, seven prefectural police departments confirmed they do, 37 stated they do not, and three mentioned different arrangements.

Out of the seven prefectural police departments, Miyagi, Kanagawa, Osaka, and Wakayama provide sign language interpreters when requested by participants. Ishikawa, Fukui, and Shiga conduct special lectures with sign language interpreters in attendance. The number of users has varied from a few individuals to several hundred, depending on the prefecture. In Ishikawa, where the system was introduced in March 2008, a total of 202 people had utilized the service by February of this year.

Several departments mentioned different explanations for not providing interpreters. The Aomori Prefectural Police stated that although they are training officers to act as sign language interpreters, it is challenging to have them available full-time. The Kyoto Prefectural Police noted that situations requiring assistance for individuals with hearing impairments happen only a few times annually, so they do not assign specific interpreters. The Saga Prefectural Police mentioned difficulties in obtaining budgetary support due to cost considerations. Nevertheless, many police stations reported that individuals are permitted to bring their own sign language interpreters.

The police departments of Gifu, Aichi, and Tottori, which opted for different approaches, have implemented actions like directing individuals to municipal interpreter services or permitting them to ask local groups to provide interpreters for their assistance.

The survey also inquired if the police had implemented any steps to guarantee information access for individuals with hearing disabilities during license renewal processes and aptitude examinations. Forty-five regional police departments responded that they had.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department issues cards featuring a “butterfly symbol” to signal that the individual has a hearing disability, with details about the sequence of service counters listed on the reverse side. Toyama Prefectural Police has installed small whiteboards at important locations to enable staff to efficiently communicate with individuals who have hearing impairments. Hiroshima Prefectural Police offers communication sheets that allow users to express their requirements.

The National Police Agency (NPA) stated, “We produce instructional videos with captions and sign language translation and share them with regional police offices. We also advise them to strive to hire sign language interpreters and provide clear explanations through written documents and other methods.”

Following repeated requests from organizations representing individuals with hearing disabilities, Japan permitted these individuals to acquire standard driver’s licenses in June 2008, on the condition that they display a driver identification symbol showing their hearing impairment and install wide-angle mirrors in their vehicles.

In 2012, the eligibility criteria were broadened to cover standard trucks and motorcycles, and in 2016, it was updated to permit obtaining a Class 2 driver’s license for buses and taxis provided applicants utilize hearing aids.

License renewals now offer online lectures with sign language interpretation, starting from March 2025. These are available to individuals who possess Japan’s “My Number” national ID cards that are linked with driver’s license information. This access is restricted to drivers who have had no accidents or violations, or just a single minor infraction, within the last five years.

Meanwhile, the use of sign language interpreters during in-person classes at driver’s license centers is still not common.

(Japanese original by Shohei Kato, Tokyo City News Department)