Real-time Multi-language Translation “Kotozna Chat”, we serve Kakao Talk now!
Tokyo, Japan – Kotozna, Inc (formerly known as Jaqool, Inc) added Kakao Talk as a new chat channel for kotozna chat, a multi-lingual real-time translation service using social media platforms, for inbound travelers.
The scale of Japan’s tourism is growing exponentially. The country has received 30 million visitors in 2018, with the majority of them arriving from China, Southeast Asia, as well as Western countries. This number is predicted to exceed 40 million by 2020.
The demand for multi-lingual services has never been stronger.
In order to address this issue, Kotozna, Inc. developed kotozna chat. The company focused on messaging apps, something majority of visitors use regardless of nationality, as a platform. As different messaging apps cannot communicate with each other, a program to bridge these platforms was developed, and AI based machine translation, which reads texts and translates in real time, was incorporated. This way people with different text messaging such as Facebook Messenger and LINE can communicate with each other, using their own apps, in their own language. This is kotozna chat, a multi-lingual, real-time translation, cross-platform service.
And now, we have added Kakao Talk, a popular messaging app in Korea, as our 4th platform to chat on. There are more than 7million Koreans visiting Japan annually and with the newest addition we hope kotozna chat will add value to local communication and help people spend an enjoyable time in Japan.
To support our visitors to Japan even more, the Tourist Information Center in Yufu city, Oita prefecture has adopted kotozna chat for their staff to server the non-Japanese speakers, including visitors from Korea, better. This service is effective December 19, 2018.
It’s easy to use kotozna chat. No download is required, and the service is free. All you have to do is to scan the QR code provided and conversation will begin seamlessly. We can translate over 100 languages including Chinese, English, Korean, Thai and French.
The company expects half million users within 2019, and projects 5 million users both in and out of Japan by the end of 2020.
【About Kotozna, Inc.】
Formerly known as Jaqool, Inc. until September 2018, Kotozna, Inc. has been providing multi-language translation services with QR codes since 2016. It has supplied QR codes to over 3000 restaurants, hotels and tourist spots in and around Kyushu region through “Trip’nScan”, a service that allows visitors use their smartphones to understand Japanese signage and documents. Kotozna, Inc. is a member of the “QR code multi-language translation project” that was selected as the “2017 Oita Prefecture IoT Promotional Project”. Kotozna, Inc was found by Genri Goto, founder and former CEO of Kenko.com, and Takaaki Kamio, founder of Mindpallet, which is known for Snapee, a photography social network.
□Recent News
On October 5th, Kotozna, Inc. was the recipient of Suntory Award at the Japan finals of “Startup World Cup 2019” with its kotozna chat service. Prior to this Kotozna, Inc. was selected as the representative of Kyushu region on September 9th.
【Press Contact】
Kumiko Morio
Kotozna Inc.
+813-6434-0123
[email protected]
For all written correspondence :
Kotozna, Inc.
TOKYO OFFICE
Moto-Akasaka 1-7-20, KIZUNA WEST 1F,
Minatoku, Tokyo 107-0051, Japan
FUKUOKA OFFICE
Daimyo 2-6-11, FUKUOKA growth next,
Chuoku, Fukuokashi 810-0041, Japan
http://kotozna.com
【About Genri Goto, CEO】
Goto co-found Jaqool, Inc. (now Kotozna, Inc.) in October 2016 and was appointed CEO. He simultaneously assumed the role of Representative Director of TagFIT, a general incorporated association. Prior to this Goto was the founder of Healthy Net, Inc. (Now Kenko.com, Inc.) spanning 2 decades as CEO. Goto listed the company in 2004. In 2013, he won a Supreme Court ruling against the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, paving the way to sell general medicine online. Goto has served as the chairman of Japan Online Drug Association, and has been a World Economic Forum member and member of numerous commissions at the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare as well as the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. He has worked at Accenture after graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in Biotechnology from Tokyo University. Goto holds a Master of Public Management degree from the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore.
□ Steps to register with kotozna chat
1. Scan our official QR code below with your smartphone.
2. Register and create your ID. Select your language and messaging app.
3. kotozna chat will create your own unique QR code. When the person who wishes to communicate with you scans your code, you will be able to text message each other seamlessly.
