International Sign is being used as the official language at the ongoing Tokyo 2025 Deaflympics as a tool for communication with deaf people from various countries, but it is not well known in Japan, and there is a shortage of interpreters.
Ryoji Miura, 37, who supports the sporting event as an interpreter, was optimistic that the Deaflympics could help boost awareness.
“I hope that people will discover the joy (of using International Sign) through the Tokyo event and that the number of learners will grow," Miura said.
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