The Magic Megaphone

To help Japanese companies better deal with the increasing number of foreigners visiting Japan, Panasonic has created a magic megaphone called Megahonyaku, which can automatically translate Japanese into English, Chinese and Korean. Megahonyaku is a pun on the Japanese words for “megaphone” and “translate”, which actually makes a lot of sense because it’s a megaphone that can translate Japanese into several other languages in real time. When a user speaks Japanese into the megaphone, it recognizes and translates what is being said instantly, and outputs the phrases in English, Chinese or Korean. It sounds amazing, and seeing it in action is pretty impressive. But Megahonyaku has its limitations. It can’t translate everything you say, as it only comes pre-loaded with 300 common phrases like “The train has been delayed” or “Watch your step”. However, the company behind Megahonyaku promises to add new phrases regularly, which users can download via the Internet. The device was designed to be used in places like transport stations, airports and tourist destinations, where speedy and accurate announcement is needed most. Around 30 Japanese organizations, including police and train operators, have been using Megahonyaku on a trial basis since 2015. If you’re hoping to get one, don’t hold your breath. Instead of selling these portable translators, the Japanese company plans on renting them out for less than $183 a month on a three-year contract, and offering clients future updates and maintenance. Panasonic announced that it might add support for other languages, like Russian, depending on customers’ needs. Megahonyaku also features a touch screen that allows users to select the language they need.