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Updated on April 23, 2015

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Fuji Xerox and Tokyo Metropolitan Government Launch New Smartphone Services for Tourists to Promote Tokyo Waterfront City as a MICE Center

Audio Tourist Information in Four Languages Made Available for Visitors of Tokyo Waterfront City

Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd. and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government’s Bureau of Port and Harbor today announced that they will begin providing multilingual services for Japanese and foreign tourists visiting the Tokyo Waterfront City. The Audio Guide Service and a new Japan Transit Planner & Map Printing service will be made available to tourists through dedicated smartphones they can rent. The service will be made sequentially available from May 11 in English, simplified/traditional Chinese, Korean and Japanese.

The services were developed by Fuji Xerox under a subsidy program created by the Bureau of Port and Harbor for promoting Tokyo Waterfront City as a MICE (short for Meeting, Incentive, Convention and Event)( External link ) and an international tourism center. With these services, Fuji Xerox and the Tokyo Metropolitan government aims to boost Tokyo Waterfront City to an attractive tourism spot by giving them easy access to travel information and helping them enjoy the unique experiences that only Tokyo Waterfront City can provide, with an aim to have them visit Tokyo repeatedly.

To use the services, tourists will need to borrow dedicated smartphones for a fee at several locations throughout the Tokyo Waterfront City.

Service launch date:

Monday, May 11, 2015 (to be launched sequentially)

Locations at which dedicated smartphones can be rented:

Information counter, Fuji Television Headquarters Building
Tokyo Bay Ariake Washington Hotel
Hotel Sunroute Ariake
Hotel Trusty Tokyo Bayside

Available services:

(1) Audio Guide Service

Hotel guests or tourists who rent and carry the dedicated smartphone which is connected to the Global Positioning System (GPS) will hear automatic prerecorded audio guide when they approach any of the registered tourist spots in the area. Text of the audio messages also appears on the smartphone display.
The audio guide is available in Japanese, English, Chinese (simplified and traditional) and Korean.

(2) Japan Transit Planner & Map Printing

Users who rent the dedicated smartphone can search for train routes*1 to tourist spots in multiple languages (Japanese, English, Chinese [simplified and traditional], and Korean).
They can also print the search results and travel maps*2 in multiple languages (Japanese, English, Chinese [simplified and traditional], and Korean) using Fuji Xerox printers installed at designated hotels.*3

(3) Other services

Along with the above services, users will also be able to view information on facilities and events of the Tokyo Waterfront City in multiple languages. By collaboration with Fuji Television Network and hotels located in the area, the dedicated smartphones rented out by these hotels can be connected to private signage systems*4 set up in their facilities and in the Fuji Television facility via Wi-Fi. The special smartphones rented out by these hotels are also equipped with Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards*5 that offer Internet connectivity, a service requested by many foreign tourists visiting Japan.

*1Available through Japan Transit Planner “Norikae Annnai Visit ROUTE CATCH” offered by Jorudan Co., Ltd.

*2Multilingual maps are made available by Zenrin Co., Ltd. and ZENRIN DataCom Co., Ltd.

*3Tokyo Bay Ariake Washington Hotel and Hotel Sunroute Ariake

*4The AirSignage system from Furuno Systems Co., Ltd. is used to distribute content via Wi-Fi.

*5The SIM card inserted into the dedicated smartphone contains information required for communications and enables connection to the Internet.

Examples of Multilingual Audio Guide Service

The projects/programs based on the Long-term Vision for Tokyo

The projects/programs based on the Long-term Vision for Tokyo

The project/program on this press release falls into the following category of the Long-term Vision for Tokyo.

  • Strategy 6: Leading Global City
  • Approach16: Enhance the city center for greater urban strength

See more details of the vision:

https://www.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/ENGLISH/ABOUT/VISION/index.htm

Media Contact

[About the Audio Guide Service]
Public Relations, Corporate Communications, Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.
+81-(0)3-6271-5120 (direct dial)

[About the project to promote the development of a MICE center in Tokyo Waterfront City]
Water Front Development Division, Port and Harbor Bureau, Tokyo Metropolitan Government
+81-(0)3-5320-5598