Lawmaker Funago 1st to Use Text-to-Speech at Japan Diet

Tokyo, Jan. 27 (Jiji Press)--Lawmaker Yasuhiko Funago, who has amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, on Friday became the first in Japan to ask questions using a text-to-speech function of a computer in a parliamentary plenary meeting.

Funago, a House of Councillors member of opposition Reiwa Shinsengumi, attended a plenary meeting of the upper chamber of the Diet for party representatives to question Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on his policy speech delivered Monday.

Using the function to read out a prepared speech on his laptop, Funago urged Kishida to reduce defense spending.

According to the secretariats of both Diet chambers, it was the first time for questioning to be held at a plenary meeting with the use of such machine assistance.

Funago took the rostrum accompanied by an assistant and others.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]