Besides the ordinary travel brochures, JNTO also produces and distributes a series of Mini-guides in English and some in Korean designed to serve as sources of detailed travel information. The series includes some 42 mini-guides of local areas; three walking tour course guides; and nine special interest guides (entitled Museums & Art Galleries, Ceramic Arts & Crafts in Japan, Japanese Gardens, Industrial Japan, Hot Springs, Annual Events, Traditional Sports, Skiing in Japan, and Camping in Japan).
(2) Relief from Language Problems
(a)Japan Travel-Phone
Should an overseas visitor encounter some difficulty, he or she may use a hot line free of charge (except within the Tokyo or Kyoto city limits). This toll-free service, called "Japan Travel-Phone," is available from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. throughout the year by dialing the following numbers:
0088-22-2800 or 0120-222800 for information on eastern Japan
0088-22-4800 or 0120-444800 for information on western Japan
3503-4400 (10 yen for 1 min.) for a call within Tokyo
371-5649(10 yen for 1 min.) for a call within Kyoto's city limits
(b)Tourist's Handbook
The Tourist's Handbook subtitled, "Practical Ways to Relieve Your Language Problems," is designed to help overseas visitors, who may have little knowledge of the Japanese language, communicate with the Japanese who have little understanding of English. JNTO also produced a new Chinese edition and updated copies of the English edition in FY 1994.
(c)Road Signs, Signboards and Tourist Information Boards
With the cooperation of local tourist offices and associations, JNTO has been making every effort to improve road signs, signboards and tourist information boards so that foreign visitors may enjoy greater convenience during their stay In Japan.
(d)Goodwill Guide Movement
Goodwill Guides are volunteer guides who help overseas visitors in case they have problems. The volunteers are registered with JNTO and wear a Goodwill Guide badge. As of March 31, 1995, the total number of Goodwill Guides is 40,805 spread among 69 groups throughout Japan under the SGG (Systematized Goodwill Guides).
(e)National Examination for Guide Interpreters
In Japan, a person who wishes to work as a tourist guide assisting foreign visitors (legally called a "guide-interpreter") must pass the Minister of Transport's national examination and then obtain a license issued by the Governor of the Prefecture where he or she lives.
The national examination is usually held once a year and is divided into three parts: the first one is a written test of the foreign language of the candidate's choice, the second is an oral test of the foreign language and a personality test, and the third is a written test covering Japanese geography, Japanese history and general knowledge.
In 1994,6,501 applicants took the examination, of whom 497 succeeded in passing it. The total number of successful guide-interpreter candidates who obtained the license as of April 1, 1994 was 5,637.
With an amendment in 1983 to the Guide Interpreter Business Law, JNTO was entrusted by the Ministry of Transport with the task of conducting the National Examination for Guide-Interpreters.
