The Aichi Prefectural Government is running a project to train medical interpreters in English, Portuguese, Chinese and Spanish to help improve communication between foreign patients and doctors.
The prefecture is collaborating with hospitals, universities and municipalities in the project, and will start sending interpreters or providing an interpreting service over the phone in October. A full-fledged service is slated to start next April.
Once operational, the phone service will be available 24 hours a day year-round. Aichi will also prepare medical questionnaires in the four languages.