A translation blunder during an English-language broadcast on Monday has left Japan's national broadcaster, NHK, red-faced and reignited a long-standing territorial dispute between Japan and China. The error involved the controversial Senkaku Islands, which Japan controls, while China claims them as the Diaoyu Islands. NHK swiftly issued an apology for the mistake and announced an immediate suspension of the subtitle use.
The error occurred due to the Google AI-based simultaneous translation system that NHK has relied on for the past five years. This technological mishap has led to dissatisfaction among many viewers, despite NHK's apology. Some have voiced concerns over paying a monthly fee of 1,100 Japanese yen (US$7.12) for basic terrestrial services, with additional satellite channels costing 1,950 yen, only to encounter such errors.
NHK officials attributed the slip-up to the AI translation system, which inaccurately rendered the island names during the broadcast. As the disagreement over the sovereignty of these uninhabited islets intensifies, it underscores the sensitivity surrounding the topic. The Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands dispute between Japan and China has been ongoing for years, with both nations asserting their claims over the territory.
The translation error has reignited discussions about the sensitive nature of these territorial claims. Japan's NHK has attempted to address the situation by suspending the use of subtitles until further notice. However, this incident has placed a spotlight on the ongoing sovereignty dispute and raised questions about relying on AI technology for critical translations.
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