Medical Interpreting at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games

Abstract

　According to an estimate of the Japan National Tourism Organization, 2,930,000 overseas visitors came to Japan in April 2019. With the growing the number of non-Japanese and Tokyo hosting the 2020 Summer Olympics and Paralympics, there is a rising need in Japan for international medical communication. Medical interpreting training is urgently required owing to language problems through the rapid increase in the number of non-Japanese workers in Japan over recent decades. A systematic review indicated five core competencies for medical interpreters: maintaining accuracy and completeness; medical terminology and understanding the human body; behaving ethically and making ethical decisions; nonverbal communication skills; and cross-cultural communication skills. A training course to develop those skills was implemented in Juntendo University’s Faculty of International Liberal Arts (FILA). Since its founding in 1838, Juntendo University has produced experts in medicine, health care, and sports. The rich culture accumulated over that time has been adapted for the global era: the university offers a progressive education that simultaneously teaches internationalism and currently required health expertise. The FILA offers several courses to help promote medical interpreters. A practical example is presented in this paper to show the capabilities of the FILA system. Interfaculty cooperation is needed to bridge the gap between medical professionals and patients with limited Japanese proficiency. By nurturing medical interpreters, Juntendo University is expected to promote interfaculty collaboration in supporting non-Japanese patients. In 2020, Japan should create an environment in which people from overseas can visit the country without worrying about medical care.