What Polyglot Link does

Polyglot Link (株式会社ポリグロットリンク) is a Tokyo-based multilingual communication services company founded in 2011 that provides 24/7/365 video and telephone interpretation, multilingual contact-center outsourcing, translation, content localization, and multilingual staffing to Japanese government offices, retailers, hotels, telecommunications carriers, and other enterprises serving foreign residents and inbound tourists. Its core technology is a human-mediated interpretation platform — テレビde通訳 (TV de Tsuyaku) for video interpretation via smartphone/tablet and 電話de通訳 (Tel de Tsuyaku) for three-party phone interpretation — supported by self-operated call centers in Tokyo, Shizuoka, Fukuoka, California, Thailand, Nepal, and Brazil, covering 14+ languages on video and 22+ languages by phone.

The company monetizes primarily through tiered monthly subscriptions (entry ¥3,960/ID, mid ¥7,700/ID, premium ¥14,850/ID for 15/30/60 minutes respectively, with ¥300/minute overage) and specialized plans such as the Municipal Special Plan starting at ¥3,000/month and the Omotenashi Plan at ¥9,800/month, complemented by per-unit translation fees, professional services for video dubbing and website localization, and multilingual recruitment/dispatch fees. Distribution is predominantly direct enterprise field sales to government and large accounts, augmented by self-service sign-up and a 14-day free trial for SMBs, with channel partnerships through KDDI and other carriers expanding reach.

Since 2023, Polyglot Link has expanded beyond interpretation into adjacent services for the foreign-resident and inbound-tourist market: it acquired the Wiha Wi-Fi router rental business from Wifa Co., Ltd. (December 2023), launched the JAPAN TRIP SIM prepaid card and Wiha Wi-Fi service, and rolled out Life Card, a deposit-type credit card for newcomers to Japan. The company is privately held under Representative Director Tadashi Dobashi, employs 101-250 people, and reports no disclosed external funding, indicating an organically funded growth profile with a tightly held ownership structure.

Name

Polyglot Link

Legal name

株式会社ポリグロットリンク (Polyglot Link Inc.)

Website

https://polyglot-link.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Polyglot Link is a Tokyo-based multilingual services company providing 24/7 video and telephone interpretation, multilingual contact-center outsourcing, translation, and adjacent telecom (Wi-Fi, SIM) and lifestyle (Life Card) services to Japanese government offices, retailers, hotels, carriers, and inbound-tourist-facing businesses across 14+ to 22+ languages.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Language Interpretation Services

NAICS

Translation and Interpretation Services (541930), All Other Telecommunications (517810), Broadcasting and Content Providers (516)

SIC

Telephone Communications (No Radiotelephone) (4813), Telegraph & Other Message Communications (4822)

akta.pro primary industry

Multilingual/Translation Communication Apps (BPAMACAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Content Localization, Translation & Transcreation (BPAFAIAH), Translation & Transcreation Services (Script/Dialogue Adaptation) (MPAHAFAD), Multilingual/Localization Support (Language, Cultural Adaptation) (BPAAABAK), WebRTC & In-Browser Voice/Video (HDAIAHAH)

Keywords

• Multilingual interpretation services
• Language translation services
• Video interpretation platform
• Multilingual contact center
• Foreign resident support services

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices7 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Video Interpretation Services (テレビde通訳): Monthly subscription plans for video-based interpretation services using smartphones or tablets, with tiered pricing based on monthly minute allocations and additional per-minute charges for overage usage.
2. Phone Interpretation Services (電話de通訳): Per-call or subscription-based phone interpretation services providing 22-language coverage for government offices, call centers, and businesses handling foreign customers.
3. Multilingual Contact Center Outsourcing (多言語コンタクトセンター運営代行): Full-service outsourced customer support operations handling phone, email, chat, and SNS communications in multiple languages 24/7 on behalf of client companies.
4. Life Card (Deposit-type Credit Card): B2C deposit-type credit card service for foreigners newly arrived in Japan, earning commissions on card activations and transactions.
5. WiFi Router Sales and Rental: Sale and rental of mobile WiFi routers and SIM cards for tourists and residents, including the Waha WiFi and UENO RENTAL WiFi brands.
6. Translation and Localization Services: Document translation, website localization, video translation with subtitles and dubbing, and multilingual content production services.
7. Multilingual Recruitment Services: Dispatch and placement services for multilingual personnel to government offices, retail stores, and corporate settings.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Polyglot Link provides on-demand multilingual interpretation (video, phone, and three-way call) and translation services connecting Japanese businesses, government offices, and retailers with foreign customers across 14+ video and 22+ phone languages, available 24/7. The company also operates multilingual contact center outsourcing, multilingual staffing, document and video translation, multilingual website and video production, and offers telecommunications products (Wi-Fi rentals, SIM cards, cellular iPads) and a deposit-type credit card for foreign residents.

Product overview

Polyglot Link operates as a multilingual communication solutions provider with a portfolio of interpretation, translation, and telecommunications services organized across three business categories: Multilingual Services (including video/phone interpretation, contact center operations, translation, content localization, and staffing), Telecommunications Solutions (Wi-Fi rentals, SIM cards, cellular iPads), and Lifestyle products (deposit credit cards). The core offerings are テレビde通報 (video interpretation via smartphones/tablets) and 電話de通報 (three-party telephone interpretation), both providing 24/7 multilingual support across 16-22 languages. The company also operates a coworking space and provides Wi-Fi/SIM solutions for inbound tourists. Services are primarily B2B, targeting hotels, government offices, retailers, and telecommunications carriers serving foreign residents and visitors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• テレビde通話 (Television de Tsuyaku): Video phone interpretation service enabling 24/7 multilingual video interpretation via smartphone or tablet.
• 電話de通話 (Telephone de Tsuyaku)
• テレビdeチェックイン (Television de Check-in)
• ライフカード (Life Card)
• ワイハWi-Fi (Yaiha Wi-Fi)
• JAPAN TRIP SIM
• UENO RENTAL Wi-Fi
• UENO de MY OFFICE

Products and services

• TV de Tsuyaku (テレビde通訳) Video Interpretation Smartphone/tablet-based video interpretation service enabling real-time video calls with multilingual operators 24/7, supporting face-to-face interpretation between Japanese staff and foreign customers across 14+ languages.
• Tel de Tsuyaku (電話de通訳) Phone Interpretation Three-party telephone interpretation service where operators join existing calls to facilitate communication between Japanese speakers and foreign callers, covering up to 22 languages.
• Multilingual Contact Center Outsourcing (多言語コンタクトセンター運営代行) Outsourced operation of multilingual customer service centers handling phone, email, chat, and SNS channels in Japanese and multiple foreign languages 24/7 on behalf of client companies.
• Video Translation and Multilingual Dubbing (映像翻訳・多言語吹き替え) Video content localization services including subtitle translation, narration translation, telop editing, and multilingual dubbing for YouTube, SNS, and in-store displays.
• Foreign Resident Counter Setup and Operation (外国人カウンターの開設・運営) Establishment and operation of multilingual service counters at facilities to assist foreign visitors with information and procedures.
• Multilingual Staffing and Recruitment Services (多言語人材の派遣・職業紹介サービス) Dispatch and employment placement services for multilingual personnel with practical experience, serving retail, government offices, and corporate settings.
• Translation Services (翻訳サービス) Document and website translation, localization, and multilingual operational support for businesses serving foreign audiences.
• Multilingual Website Production (多言語Webサイト制作) Design and development of multilingual websites with integration of translation systems and experienced staff for optimal localization.
• Multilingual Video Production (多言語動画制作) Video production services for YouTube, social media, and in-store displays, adapted for multilingual audiences.
• SNS Multilingual Operation Outsourcing (SNS多言語運用代行) Native speaker management of foreign-language social media accounts, including content creation, posting, and engagement.
• Cellular iPad Model (iPad セルラーモデル) iPad devices with built-in cellular data connectivity, suitable for remote work, online meetings, and paperless operations.
• UENO RENTAL Wi-Fi Portable Wi-Fi rental service for tourists in Japan with large capacity supporting up to 10 users per device, available at Ueno station location with multilingual support.
• JAPAN TRIP SIM Prepaid SIM card designed for inbound tourists to Japan. No credit card required; includes multilingual support for travelers concerned about Japanese language barriers.
• Life Card (ライフカード) Deposit-type credit card designed for foreign residents and newcomers to Japan who may have difficulty obtaining standard credit cards due to lack of credit history.
• UENO de MY OFFICE Coworking Space Coworking space operated by Polyglot Link near JR Ueno Station, offering meeting rooms, classrooms, filming, and streaming facilities with 16-language online interpretation support.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 6,000 locations nationwide utilizing services since 2011
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers16 records

Segments10 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Wifa Co., Ltd. (ワイファ株式会社)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2023Business transfer agreement where Polyglot Link acquired the 'Waha WiFi' mobile WiFi router rental business from Wifa Co., Ltd. This strategic acquisition expanded Polyglot Link's telecommunications solutions portfolio to include mobile WiFi devices for foreign visitors and residents.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• CyraCom (AMN Healthcare Language Services): Provides phone and video interpretation services to U.S. healthcare, government, and business customers with multilingual support, directly comparable to Polyglot Link's enterprise interpretation model.
• Welocalize: Provides translation, localization, and interpretation services for global enterprises, with comparable multilingual operations centers and customer segments to Polyglot Link.
• Miki Inc. (株式会社三木): One of Japan's leading providers of telephone and video interpretation services, directly competing with Polyglot Link's テレビde通訳 and 電話de通訳 offerings across government, healthcare, and enterprise verticals.
• BIG Language Solutions: U.S.-based interpretation and translation services provider serving healthcare, government, and business customers—directly comparable business model to Polyglot Link's multilingual communication services.
• LanguageLine Solutions: The largest U.S.-based interpretation and translation services provider, offering phone, video, and on-demand interpretation across dozens of languages—comparable to Polyglot Link's multilingual interpretation core business at much larger scale.

Broad incumbents

• Teleperformance: Global leader in outsourced customer experience management and multilingual contact center operations—comparable to Polyglot Link's multilingual contact center outsourcing service at enterprise scale.
• RWS Group: Global language services and localization company offering translation, interpretation, and content adaptation across industries—an incumbent player overlapping with Polyglot Link's translation and localization service modules.
• Lionbridge (now Lionbridge Games + AI services): Global translation, localization, and interpretation provider serving enterprise customers—comparable to Polyglot Link's multilingual services portfolio at much larger international scale.
• Concentrix: Major global BPO and customer experience provider with multilingual contact center capabilities—an incumbent offering comparable outsourced multilingual support services to Polyglot Link.

Regional players

• Honyaku Center Inc. (株式会社翻訳センター): Japanese-headquartered translation and interpretation services provider serving enterprise and government customers—a domestic regional peer to Polyglot Link's translation and interpretation business in the Japanese market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/polyglot_link
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCF35lvshy9jLFK7dZkgtP9w
• Facebookfacebook.com/tvdetsuyaku
• Instagraminstagram.com/polyglotlink
• TikToktiktok.com/@polyglotlink

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Polyglot Link