Takashi Miyake
Manager, Department of Member Organizations
Japan Federation of the Visually Impaired (Social Welfare Corporation) 

Because of the “Guidelines for Information Accessibility in the Broadcasting Field,” the percentage of TV programs that provide audio description has increased and the range of broadcasting stations that provide it have expanded, and consequently the number of programs that have audio description has increased.  In addition, the range of genres is expanding.  Audio description used to be provided only to limited genres such as movies and dramas, but there are attempts to add audio description to some sports broadcasts.  Furthermore, as for dramas, audio description used to be done only for special dramas and rebroadcasts, but now it is being added to the main broadcasts of serial dramas, which is very well received.

However, as stated in the Guidelines, there are restrictions on the programs to which audio description is given, and therefore, we cannot necessarily say that the target value is high.

Currently, each broadcaster is trying to use new technology to increase the number of programs with audio description, and it is expected that it will become possible to support programs that audio description has been difficult to add to.

While we hope that the number of programs that provide audio description will increase, what we wish for is the accessibility of information in news and information programs.  For example, recently there has been an increase in the number of programs in which foreigners’ remarks are broadcast only in their language and subtitles.  For those who do not understand the language and cannot see the subtitles, there is no information at all.  However, some programs are dubbed into Japanese, and it is hoped that similar measures will increase.

Moreover, as for news flashes with subtitles alone, they are given in live news programs, and in reality, most of them are not well communicated to us.

As for the information that can be conveyed only through subtitles, we are expecting that further efforts, such as the utilization of new technology, will also be made.

Broadcasting centered on television is an indispensable means of obtaining information.  I look forward to further technological developments and initiatives in the future so that we can equally access information.