What Plus Voice Co., Ltd. does

Plus Voice Co., Ltd. (株式会社プラスヴォイス) is a privately held Japanese company founded in 1997 and headquartered in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture, that provides ICT-based accessibility services for deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals. Its core technology is a WebRTC-based remote sign language interpretation platform called PVRTC (Plus Voice Remote interpretation System), which enables browser-based, no-app-download video interpretation compliant with national standards set by Japan's Information and Communication Technology Committee. The company operates three primary divisions: an ICT Division delivering remote sign language interpretation, call center relay services, and the Enkaku+ (えんかく＋) consumer subscription service; a Media Division producing sports photography for deaf athletes (SpoPhoto) and an associated photo-book product; and a Consulting Division supporting municipalities in accessibility program design.

The business model combines B2B and B2G contract revenue with consumer and ancillary streams. Enterprise and government clients — including 15 prefectures and major cities, large Japanese banks (Sony Bank, Mizuho, New Shinsei Bank), insurance companies (AXA Life, Tokyo Marine Anshin Life, Aeon Allianz, Asahi Life, Mitsui Direct Sompo, SBI Insurance), automotive manufacturers (Toyota, Daihatsu), airlines (ANA), and retail chains (AOKI at 654 stores) — are served via annual subscription or managed-services contracts for remote interpretation and call-center relay. The Proxy Phone Service (代理電話サービス) is billed on usage, with free provision in Iwate, Miyagi, and Fukushima for disaster relief. Distribution is split between direct enterprise/government sales, partnerships with multi-language platforms (Teriology's Mieru Tsuyaku, V-CUBE Translator), and a direct-to-consumer welfare equipment online store. The company holds Privacy Mark certification (JIPDEC, 2019), complies with JIS Q 15001, and received a Cabinet Office Award in June 2026 for disaster and daily-life remote interpretation initiatives.

Name

Plus Voice Co., Ltd.

Legal name

株式会社プラスヴォイス

Website

https://plusvoice.co.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Plus Voice Co., Ltd. is a Japanese ICT services company founded in 1997 that provides remote sign language interpretation, call center relay, and proxy phone services to deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals, serving government agencies, banks, insurers, automakers, airlines, and retailers across Japan.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Accessibility Communication Services

NAICS

Translation and Interpretation Services (541930), Translation and Interpretation Services (54193), Telephone Call Centers (56142)

SIC

Communications Services, Nec (4899)

akta.pro primary industry

Assistive Hearing & Communication Access (Captioning, Hearing Support, Transcription) (EDAFAKAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Speech Recognition, Dictation & Medical Transcription Platforms (HLACAAAI), Classroom Audio, Voice Amplification & Communication Hardware/Software (EDAFAGAI)

Keywords

• Remote sign language interpretation
• Accessibility communication services
• Deaf and hard-of-hearing support
• Video relay interpretation
• Welfare equipment retail

Headquarters

HQ city

Sendai (仙台市)

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Remote Sign Language Interpretation Services to Government/Enterprise: B2B and B2G contracts with government agencies and corporations for remote sign language interpretation services. Government contracts include municipal governments (e.g., Miyagi Prefecture, Kanagawa Prefecture) and public institutions. Corporate contracts include financial institutions, insurance companies, and large retailers. Revenue is generated through service provision fees, typically on a per-use or contract basis.
2. Call Center Support Services: Call center interpretation services enabling deaf individuals to contact corporate customer service hotlines. Plus Voice acts as the relay intermediary between the deaf caller and the hearing customer service representative. Revenue derived from enterprise service agreements with major financial and insurance companies.
3. 代理電話サービス (Proxy Phone Service): Relay telephone service where an operator makes calls on behalf of deaf or speech-impaired individuals. Offered both to enterprise clients (via call centers) and to individuals (for a fee, or free for disaster-affected areas).
4. Sports Photography (スポフォト): Sports photography and photo library services for deaf athletes and sports communities. Photos are sold to athletes and their families as prints, posters, and digital downloads.
5. Welfare Equipment Sales: Sale of welfare/accessibility equipment including hearing aids, alerting devices, signal systems, and assistive communication devices through the company's online store.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Plus Voice Co., Ltd. provides ICT-based remote sign language interpretation services connecting deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals with sign language interpreters via real-time video calls. The company serves government offices, corporate call centers, retail stores, and individual consumers through its proprietary WebRTC-based PVRTC dispatch platform, mobile apps (Enkaku+, Tegaki Denwa UD), and proxy phone relay services. Plus Voice also operates a sports photography service for deaf athletes and an online retail store for welfare and accessibility equipment.

Product overview

Plus Voice Co., Ltd. operates a comprehensive ICT-based accessibility services portfolio centered on communication support for deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals. The core offerings include remote sign language interpretation services (遠隔手話不通サービス/PVRTC) enabling video-based interpretation at government offices and businesses, the individual-focused えんかく＋ service for on-demand interpreter access, and proxy phone services (代理電話サービス) for telephone relay. The company also provides UDトーク (speech-to-text app) and UD手書き (handwriting communication app) as complementary accessibility tools, along with PVRTC—a WebRTC-based dispatch system for municipalities. Media services include sports photography (スポフォト), and the company operates a welfare equipment retail store. The product ecosystem integrates with third-party platforms including V-CUBE and みえる通訳 for expanded interpretation coverage.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• えんかく＋ (Enkaku+): Remote sign language interpretation service for individual users, enabling sign language communication with anyone, anywhere.
• PVRTC
• スポフォト (SpoPhoto)
• UDトーク (UD Talk)
• UD手書き (UD Tegaki)
• 手書き電話 UD (Tegaki Denwa UD)

Products and services

• Remote Sign Language Interpretation Service (遠隔手話通訳サービス) ICT-based remote sign language interpretation service connecting deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals with interpreters via video call for real-time communication at government offices, medical facilities, and businesses. Targeted at enterprise and government clients.
• Enkaku+ (えんかく＋) Individual-focused remote sign language interpretation service that enables deaf users to connect with interpreters anytime and anywhere through their smartphone, addressing communication needs in everyday situations like neighborhood conversations or emergency announcements.
• Proxy Phone Service (代理電話サービス) Phone relay service where interpreters make calls on behalf of deaf or speech-impaired individuals, enabling them to conduct telephone communications with hearing persons at businesses and government offices. Free for disaster-affected residents in Iwate, Miyagi, and Fukushima prefectures.
• PVRTC (Plus Voice Remote interpretation System) WebRTC-based remote sign language interpretation dispatch system for government agencies and enterprises, enabling browser-based video interpretation without app downloads and compliant with NICT technical specifications. Adopted by 15+ prefectures and major cities.
• Call Center Support (コールセンターサポート) Enterprise-focused call center interpretation service enabling deaf customers to contact corporate customer service centers through interpreters who facilitate telephone communications. Served by major financial institutions, insurance companies, and automotive manufacturers.
• SpoPhoto (スポフォト) Sports photography service capturing and selling photos of athletes at youth sports events, leagues, and competitions, particularly serving deaf and hard-of-hearing athletes. Photos sold as prints, posters, and digital downloads.
• Welfare Equipment Net Store (福祉機器ネットストア) Online retail store selling assistive devices for deaf and hard-of-hearing individuals, including hearing aid batteries, alert systems, and communication aids.
• Counter Sign Language Support (窓口手話サポート) In-person sign language support service at retail and service counter locations, connecting deaf customers with interpreters via video tablet devices at participating stores.

Quantifiable outcome

• First in Japan to implement remote sign language interpreter dispatch system at government level (Miyagi Prefecture, September 2020)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers24 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

AI capability2 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Tokyo Metropolitan Government Bureau of Welfare (東京都福祉局)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 November 2024Plus Voice was invited to exhibit at Tokyo Mimic College 2024 as the Tokyo Metropolitan Government's booth, introducing remote sign language interpretation and phone proxy support services to 41 attendees. Partnership with Tokyo to provide accessibility services at metropolitan government offices and facilities since November 2020.
• SBI Insurance (SBI損害保険)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 October 2024Long-standing partnership for sign language and writing interpretation services. Joint exhibition at Good Life Fair 2024. Plus Voice provides sign language interpretation services for SBI's deaf policyholders.
• ANA (全日本空輸)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 October 2024ANA expanded Plus Voice's remote sign language interpretation service using QR codes to all airport service areas nationwide. The service enables deaf travelers to communicate with ANA staff at check-in counters and throughout airports using the remote interpretation system.
• Gallaudet University DEP Team (米ギャローデット大学DEPチーム)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2024Information exchange visit from Gallaudet University (US), which has 30 years of Video Relay Service (VRS) history. Knowledge sharing on remote interpretation best practices. Gallaudet University researcher Mana Minagawa also conducted internal training at Plus Voice's Shibuya Studio on deaf and hard-of-hearing child resilience.
• Miyagi Prefecture Health and Welfare Department Disability Welfare Division (宮城県保健福祉部障害福祉課)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 September 2020Miyagi Prefecture was the first in Japan to implement Plus Voice's remote sign language interpreter dispatch system (PVRTC). The system enables remote interpretation while maintaining the existing municipal dispatch workflow. This partnership established a national model replicated by 15+ other prefectures.
• Shamrock Records Co., Ltd. (株式会社 Shamrock Records) - UDトーク (UD Talk)coreTechnology or Integration · 25 September 2019Partnership for the UD Talk speech recognition application. UD Talk recognizes speech and displays text, helping deaf people communicate with hearing individuals. Shamrock Records develops the app while Plus Voice distributes and promotes it. Joint exhibition at H.C.R. 2019.
• Information and Communication Technologies Research Institute (情報通信研究機構/NICT)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 September 2019Recipient of NICT information accessibility grant support. NICT provided funding support for Plus Voice's participation in CEATEC and other exhibitions. NICT's Entrepreneur Expo program supported company growth.
• Teriology Serviceware (株式会社テリロジーサービスウェア) - Mieru Tsuyaku (みえる通訳)coreTechnology or Integration · 5 August 2019Partnership to provide sign language interpretation via the Mieru Tsuyaku multilingual video interpretation platform. Plus Voice supplies sign language interpreters to the platform which covers English, Chinese, Korean, Thai, Russian, Vietnamese, Tagalog, Portuguese, Spanish, French, and sign language. Used at AOKI (654 stores), ORIHICA, and other retail locations nationwide.
• Saitama Hannō City (埼玉県飯能市)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 3 July 2017Hannō City was the first municipality in Japan to adopt the Plus Voice Total Support System, combining remote sign language interpretation, UD手書き, UDトーク, and proxy phone services. The city has been recognized nationally for this accessibility initiative, featured in news coverage and adopted as a model for other municipalities.
• Japan Foundation (日本財団)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 September 2011Plus Voice was commissioned to operate the Japan Foundation Remote Information and Communication Support Center for disaster-affected deaf individuals following the Great East Japan Earthquake. This was the first government-backed remote interpretation service project, establishing the operational model used today. Services included free public institution interpretation, free proxy phone service for Iwate/Miyagi/Fukushima residents, and FM radio text conversion.
• SoftBank Corp. (SoftBank社)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 March 2011Following the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake, SoftBank provided 50 iPhones and 10 iPads to support deaf disaster victims. Plus Voice configured the devices with appropriate apps (video phone, text chat, lighting) before distribution.
• KDDI Corporation (KDDI)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 March 2011Historical partnership for mobile phone support for deaf users. KDDI provided devices and support for disaster relief communication following the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake. Plus Voice provided sign language interpretation at KDDI events and supported KDDI's deaf customer support initiatives.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Cloudbreak Health (UpHealth): Cloudbreak Health provides video remote interpretation services including sign language for telehealth and enterprise settings. Comparable to Plus Voice in offering video-based interpretation, but focused primarily on US healthcare with a different go-to-market motion.

Regional players

• Sorenson Communications: Sorenson is the leading US provider of Video Relay Service (VRS) for deaf and hard-of-hearing users, with decades of operating history analogous to Plus Voice's 28-year tenure. It represents the most established comparable business model internationally, though operating in the US regulatory and telecommunications environment.
• Convo Communications: Convo is a US-based VRS provider serving the deaf community via video interpretation. Comparable to Plus Voice in core service model (remote sign language interpretation for enterprise/government), but operating in the US market with different regulatory frameworks and customer mix.

Broad incumbents

• LanguageLine Solutions: LanguageLine Solutions is the largest interpretation services provider globally, offering video, phone, and on-demand interpretation across spoken languages. While not specialized in sign language, it competes with Plus Voice for enterprise interpretation budgets and is rapidly expanding into accessibility-focused offerings.
• Stratus Video (AMN Healthcare): Stratus Video, acquired by AMN Healthcare, is a major US provider of video remote interpretation services including sign language interpretation for healthcare and enterprise. Comparable business model focused on video-based interpretation but operating at greater scale in the US healthcare market.
• CyraCom International: CyraCom (now part of Propio Language Services) provides enterprise interpretation services including video remote interpretation. Comparable to Plus Voice in serving enterprise call center interpretation needs, though primarily in spoken languages rather than sign language.

Direct peers

• V-Cube (now V-CUBE, Inc.): V-CUBE operates a multilingual video interpretation platform that Plus Voice integrates with. Both companies serve the Japanese interpretation market with overlapping video-based interpretation services targeting enterprise and government customers, making V-CUBE a direct functional peer despite Plus Voice's specialization in sign language.
• Terilogy Serviceware (Mieru Tsuyaku): Terilogy Serviceware operates the Mieru Tsuyaku multilingual video interpretation platform, which integrates Plus Voice's sign language interpretation services. They are direct platform peers in the Japanese interpretation market, jointly serving retail chains like AOKI's 654 stores and other enterprise customers.
• Shamrock Records (UD Talk): Shamrock Records develops the UD Talk speech-to-text application that Plus Voice distributes as a core accessibility product. Both companies serve deaf and hard-of-hearing communication needs in Japan, with overlapping product portfolios (speech recognition and sign language interpretation) and a formal partnership relationship.

Others

• Nippon Television Network (Sign language news): Major Japanese broadcasters including Nippon TV have sign language news programs and accessibility initiatives that intersect with Plus Voice's mission. While not direct competitors, they represent adjacent ecosystem players in Japanese deaf accessibility services.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/plusvoice_tw
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@plusvoice.1998
• Facebookfacebook.com/PLUSVoice.co
• Instagraminstagram.com/plusvoice_1998

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Plus Voice Co., Ltd.