FOCUS: Why “Female” Voices Dominate Automated Guidance in Japan?

Tokyo, March 5 (Jiji Press)–Automated voice guidance in devices such as water heaters and car navigation systems has become an indispensable part of daily life in Japan, yet few people may have stopped to consider why such services almost always use “female” voices. One common explanation points to the stereotype that women are naturally suited to supportive or caregiving roles. “Your bath is ready,” announces a familiar female voice from the remote control of water heaters made by major manufacturer Rinnai Corp. “Female voices are typically used for announcements on buses and at baseball stadiums,” a company official said. “We also took into account that women taking a bath might be startled if they heard a male voice.” At All Nippon Airways, automated in-flight announcements are voiced by women. “This may be partly because we have many women among our cabin attendants,” a company representative said. Many elevator floor announcements also use female voices, but major elevator system providers Hitachi Building Systems Co. and Mitsubishi Electric Building Solutions Corp. say they “don’t know” why or “don’t have” a clear reason for this choice. West Japan Railway Co. uses a female voice for automated announcements on the Sanyo Shinkansen high-speed train line, but an official said that “no records remain” on why the decision was made. Major car navigation system manufacturer Pioneer Corp. has offered a scientific explanation for its decision to use female voices in its devices, including for guidance prompts such as, “You will soon arrive at your destination.” After repeated testing during product development, the company concluded that “higher-tone, clearer voices are easier to hear inside a moving vehicle,” according to a company official. So, is there really a difference between male and female voices? “Generally speaking, higher-pitched female voices are easier to hear and convey meaning more effectively,” said Kenji Kurakata, a professor of the psychology of hearing at Waseda University. He emphasized, however, that the difference is not great. “Regardless of language, the most important factor is not vocal pitch, but speaking slowly and with clear articulation,” Kurakata said. Why, then, are female voices so widely used for automated guidance? Kenji Sakata, a specially appointed professor at Ritsumeikan University who specializes in audio media research, points to entrenched gender bias, specifically, the stereotype that “women are polite and gentle, and suited to service work.” “Women are generally viewed as playing supportive roles in daily life and as guides,” Sakata added. “This may explain why female voices have so often been chosen for audio guidance systems.” By contrast, emergency broadcast systems that warn of fires in buildings and other facilities exclusively use male voices, following guidance from the Fire and Disaster Management Agency. “Male voices are used probably because strong guiding effects are required to encourage evacuation,” an agency official said. Sakata said, “I think this is because action commands in times of imminent danger are considered something that should be given by men.” Women, then, are cast in the role of guides, while men are positioned as those who issue commands. “I don’t think this in itself constitutes gender discrimination, but the lingering sense of imbalance and unnaturalness could reinforce gender bias,” Sakata suggested. He urges the public to use International Women’s Day on Sunday as an opportunity to take a fresh look at what we often take for granted in daily life: “If you feel uneasy about how widespread female voices are in automated guidance systems, let that discomfort be a starting point to reflect on the biases and gender discrimination that surround you.” END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]