「科学における女性と女児の国際デー、“全盲の科学者仲間たち：点字で記す科学”」における木村大使ステートメント
令和3年2月11日
Excellencies, Distinguished Guests, Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is a great honour to be here with you today in celebration of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science.
Today, science and technology are vital to addressing basic human needs, as well as increasing societal well-being towards the achievement of the SDGs.
More than ever, the current pandemic has made us aware of vulnerable populations in our society, and the importance of shaping policies to encourage inclusiveness and equality, while fostering diversity.
The first adaptation of Braille in Japan goes back to the late 19th century. Since then, a unique Japanese Braille system has been developed in association with efforts to improve equality for the visually impaired, especially by the teachers and students of schools for the blind. In 1925, a world-first Braille ballot system was introduced in Japan to ensure the participation of visually impaired voters in the democratic process. Today, Braille signs are apparent and integrated in many corners of our daily life in Japan, including alcohol cans with “alcohol” written in braille, and on the underside of handrails at train stations to indicate the train’s destination. Today, our Braille technologies and experience are supporting schools for the blind in many places around the world.
Excellencies,
We are all aware that the future in Braille will be digital. We believe our digital future must be human centred, and so it is crucial to ensure that every person fully benefit from the digital revolution.
In this vein, please allow me to introduce our common digital future.
Dr. Chieko Asakawa, a blind Japanese computer scientist and IBM Fellow, is known for her ground-breaking invention, the Home Page Reader. It has become the most widely used web-speech system in the world. Three years ago, her team launched NavCog, a voice-controlled smartphone application. NavCog helps visually impaired people navigate shopping centres, museums, hospitals and airports, and has implemented in various locations in both Japan and the U.S. Dr Asakawa’s latest work is now focusing on realizing the free movement of blind people without the assistance by others using a lightweight navigational robot named “AI suitcase.” AI suitcase directs a visually impaired person through airports, offers information on flight updates and gate changes, and warns the owner to pick it up when approaching stairs.
Excellencies,
The full participation of women and people with diverse needs in the digital transformation is more important than ever. Dr. Asakawa recalls how when she first entered the industry, visually impaired researchers such as herself were rare. As a result, companies were not aware of the real issues, which people with such disabilities faced in their daily lives. That is why diversity is crucial to making technology beneficial for all.
In this regard, the Government of Japan aims to realize what it calls “Society 5.0,” or the “Super Smart Society”. This is our strategic blueprint to achieve the SDGs with STI solutions driving economic growth and social inclusion, empowering individuals, so that everyone — women, youth, the elderly, people in rural areas, people with special needs; all people — can participate in economic and social activities to create value anytime, anywhere.
Although the image of Society 5.0 may imply something of a science-fiction world, we hope to contribute to the sharing of digital solutions to common challenges all around the world in the best interest of people and the achievement of the SDGs.
I thank you.
It is a great honour to be here with you today in celebration of the International Day of Women and Girls in Science.
Today, science and technology are vital to addressing basic human needs, as well as increasing societal well-being towards the achievement of the SDGs.
More than ever, the current pandemic has made us aware of vulnerable populations in our society, and the importance of shaping policies to encourage inclusiveness and equality, while fostering diversity.
The first adaptation of Braille in Japan goes back to the late 19th century. Since then, a unique Japanese Braille system has been developed in association with efforts to improve equality for the visually impaired, especially by the teachers and students of schools for the blind. In 1925, a world-first Braille ballot system was introduced in Japan to ensure the participation of visually impaired voters in the democratic process. Today, Braille signs are apparent and integrated in many corners of our daily life in Japan, including alcohol cans with “alcohol” written in braille, and on the underside of handrails at train stations to indicate the train’s destination. Today, our Braille technologies and experience are supporting schools for the blind in many places around the world.
Excellencies,
We are all aware that the future in Braille will be digital. We believe our digital future must be human centred, and so it is crucial to ensure that every person fully benefit from the digital revolution.
In this vein, please allow me to introduce our common digital future.
Dr. Chieko Asakawa, a blind Japanese computer scientist and IBM Fellow, is known for her ground-breaking invention, the Home Page Reader. It has become the most widely used web-speech system in the world. Three years ago, her team launched NavCog, a voice-controlled smartphone application. NavCog helps visually impaired people navigate shopping centres, museums, hospitals and airports, and has implemented in various locations in both Japan and the U.S. Dr Asakawa’s latest work is now focusing on realizing the free movement of blind people without the assistance by others using a lightweight navigational robot named “AI suitcase.” AI suitcase directs a visually impaired person through airports, offers information on flight updates and gate changes, and warns the owner to pick it up when approaching stairs.
Excellencies,
The full participation of women and people with diverse needs in the digital transformation is more important than ever. Dr. Asakawa recalls how when she first entered the industry, visually impaired researchers such as herself were rare. As a result, companies were not aware of the real issues, which people with such disabilities faced in their daily lives. That is why diversity is crucial to making technology beneficial for all.
In this regard, the Government of Japan aims to realize what it calls “Society 5.0,” or the “Super Smart Society”. This is our strategic blueprint to achieve the SDGs with STI solutions driving economic growth and social inclusion, empowering individuals, so that everyone — women, youth, the elderly, people in rural areas, people with special needs; all people — can participate in economic and social activities to create value anytime, anywhere.
Although the image of Society 5.0 may imply something of a science-fiction world, we hope to contribute to the sharing of digital solutions to common challenges all around the world in the best interest of people and the achievement of the SDGs.
I thank you.