よくある質問 – English —

01How many languages are supported? What are the service hours?

Supports 18 languages (Japanese, English, Chinese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, Hindi, Thai, Nepali, Filipino, Vietnamese, French, Russian, Indonesian, Khmer, Ukrainian, Burmese, Malay).
○ English/Chinese/Korean/Portuguese/Spanish: 24 hours/365 days
○ Hindi/Thai: 9:00–20:00/365 days
○ Nepali/Filipino: 8:30–20:00 (Sat, Sun & holidays 9:00–20:00)/365 days
○ Vietnamese: 8:30–20:00 (Sat 8:45–20:00, Sun & holidays 10:00–20:00)/365 days
○ French/Russian: 10:00–18:00 (except Sat, Sun & holidays)
○ Indonesian: 9:00–18:00 (except Sun & holidays)
○ Khmer: 9:00–18:00/365 days
○ Ukrainian: 10:00–12:00 (except Sat, Sun & holidays)
○ Burmese: 9:00–18:00 (except Sun, holidays, year-end)
○ Malay: 9:00–18:00 (except Sat, Sun & holidays)
※ Grey flag = outside service hours
※ Times shown in JST
※ As of Nov 2024

02Who provides the interpretation?

Interpretation is provided by native speakers or Japanese who have lived abroad. All interpreters hold JLPT N1 or have equivalent Japanese proficiency, so you can use the service with confidence.

03Can the service be used in specialized fields?

This service provides general interpretation at a daily conversation level. For cases requiring specialized terminology or knowledge, such as legal or medical consultations, please contact us separately.

04Is it okay to call the interpreter if I don’t understand something or get lost?

Interpreters cannot answer questions directly. For inquiries, please contact a local police station, tourist information center, or other relevant authority, and use our service for interpretation during those conversations.

05How is usage time counted?

The time is counted in 1-minute units.
Example 1) Usage of 1 minute 1 second ⇒ counted as 2 minutes
Example 2) Usage of 1 minute 59 seconds ⇒ counted as 2 minutes
※ Usage time is measured by our system.

06Will the call be cut off if service hours end during the call?

Calls that start within service hours will not be cut off, and you may continue. However, new interpretation cannot be initiated outside service hours.
※ If disconnected due to signal issues, reconnection will not be possible outside service hours.

07Is interpretation possible between non-Japanese languages?
e.g., English⇔Chinese, Korean⇔Russian

This is not possible. Our service provides interpretation only between Japanese and foreign languages.

08Error: “You cannot log in from another device during a call” appears and I cannot log in.

This occurs if the app is forcibly closed during or right after a call. Please check “Force Login” and log in again.

09How many languages are supported?

Supported languages: 18 (Japanese, English, Chinese [Simplified], Chinese [Traditional], Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, Thai, Nepali, Filipino, Vietnamese, French, Russian, Indonesian, Khmer, Ukrainian, Burmese, Mongolian).
Available 24/7/365
※ As of Nov 2024

10How do I change the language?

Press the language selection button (flag icon) to open the language selection screen.

11How do I use the interpretation function?

Press the microphone button once, speak when it turns red, and press it again when you finish speaking.

12What are frequently used phrases?

This function allows you to register frequently used phrases and translate them by simply selecting from a list. Once registered, you no longer need to press the microphone button and speak each time.

13How do I register frequently used phrases?

You can register from the conversation screen or history screen. Press the register button next to the sentence you want to save, and “Saved” will be displayed.

14Why is what I said displayed in three lines?

This is the “back translation” feature that lets you confirm the accuracy of the translation. It helps prevent miscommunication caused by mistranslations.

15The text does not appear as I spoke (speech not recognized properly)

Check the position of the microphone on your device, and speak as clearly as possible near it. If the environment is noisy, speech recognition may not work well. Please try again in a quiet place. Also, make sure the correct language is selected. For example, when speaking Japanese, the flag above the microphone button should be set to Japan.

16Cannot use voice input from smartphone or tablet

The message “Could not hear you. Please try again.” will be displayed.
● iOS Safari:
Open the “Settings” app → Safari → enable camera and microphone access
● Android Chrome:
Settings → Advanced settings → Site settings → allow microphone use
※ For other browsers, please refer to their help pages.

17How can I check or delete conversation history?

Press the [History] button on the conversation screen to view a list of past conversations. To delete, press the delete button (trash icon) on the right side of each conversation.

18Cannot connect even after setup.

Please check the following:
① Confirm your signal environment. Poor reception may cause failure to connect or frozen images.
② Update your device to the latest OS version.
③ Allow access to the camera and microphone.

19The interpretation screen stays stuck on loading.

If the interpretation screen stays stuck on loading, old connection data stored in the web browser history may be slowing it down. Deleting your browser history may resolve the issue.

20Is it possible to use multiple devices with one contract?

This is not possible. One contract is limited to one device.

21Can I use it offline?

Offline use is not available.
An internet connection is required.

22Is it available overseas?

You can use the service as long as you have an internet connection.
However, as with other internet services, we recommend subscribing in advance to your carrier’s unlimited overseas data plan, using local public Wi-Fi, or renting a mobile Wi-Fi router that supports overseas use. Please note that unexpected high communication charges may occur abroad, so it is your responsibility to confirm your connection environment in advance.

23Which devices and operating systems are supported?

Please check the following.
◆ iOS/iPadOS support
Supported devices iPhone, iPad, iPad Pro that can run the following OS versions
Supported OS versions iOS18, iOS17, iOS16 (up to 3 latest generations)
Browser Latest Safari or Chrome (please always keep browsers updated)
Network LTE or 5G, recommended actual speed 10 Mbps or higher

◆ Android support
Supported devices Android devices capable of running the following OS versions with Google Chrome pre-installed (excluding Chinese-made devices)
Supported OS versions Android 14, 13, 12 (up to 3 latest generations)
Browser Latest Chrome (please always keep updated)
Network LTE or 5G, recommended actual speed 10 Mbps or higher

◆ Windows support
Supported devices PCs capable of running the following OS versions, with minimum 4GB memory (8GB+ recommended), CPU with at least 2 cores (4+ recommended)
Supported OS versions Windows 11 and Windows 10 22H2 64-bit
Browser Latest Chrome (please always keep updated)
Network Recommended actual speed 10 Mbps or higher

24What payment methods are available?

If purchasing online, payment is by credit card. Alternatively, you can purchase a prepaid card at a store.

25After applying, how soon can I start using the service?

Usage is available immediately after credit card payment confirmation or after entering the coupon number printed on the prepaid card.

26Is it possible to check the remaining charged minutes for video calls?

You can check it from the “￥” option in the footer menu of the Doko Demo☆Interpreter operation screen.

27Does the purchased prepaid plan have an expiration date?

The expiration date is up to 31 days after setup is completed. However, if setup is not completed, there is no expiration date.

28What happens if the charged minutes run out during a call?

The operator will announce when your remaining minutes reach zero, and the call will be disconnected. If your remaining minutes are low, we recommend adding more in advance.