The document discusses issues around accessibility and text-to-speech (T2S) support for EPUB publications in Japan. It notes that iBooks and Kindle provide T2S on iPhone/iPad, while other major EPUB readers do not. It identifies challenges for T2S with Japanese text, like handling multiple possible pronunciations for characters and lack of support for standards like SSML and PLS. The document also examines accessibility issues for EPUB comics, novels, and textbooks published in Japan and how these relate to the EPUB Japanese Profile guidelines. It questions which EPUB Accessibility 1.0 requirements should be prioritized for adoption and whether technique specifications could be added to address needs of Japanese text.

1. What should Japan do
about EPUB accessibility?
IUJ/JEPA/ATDO
MURATA Makoto

2. Standardization in ISO/IEC
(Standardization at ISO/IEC)
 EPUB Accessibility 1.0
 In ISO/IEC, probably a Technical Specification (as part of EPUB 3.1).
 EPUB Accessibility Techniques 1.0
 Possibly a Technical Report in ISO/IEC?
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3. Current status of EPUB T2S in Japan
 iBooks and Kindle on iPhone/iPad provide T2S, while no other major EPUB
reading systems do.
 DAISY readers provide T2S and will be able to handle EPUB soon.
 Both ruby annotations and annotated text are rendered by some RSs, which
can be confusing.
 T2S sometimes makes mistakes in reading ideographic characters.
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4. T2S Issues Specific to Japan
 Multiple possible phonetics for one ideographic character. How can RSs
choose one possibility?
 SSML and PLS are supported by a Japanese government project, but are not
supported by EPUB reading systems or DAISY readers.
 I hope that more made-in-Japan RSs support SSML and PLS.
 Synchronization of text and voice is hampered if there is no API for horizontal
scroll.
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5. Current status of EPUB comics
 Images containing both pictures and rasterized text
 No accessibility.
 But do we need accessibility (by novelization?), or should we help kids to
speak with their friends by providing outlines and introductions of characters
in an accessible manner?
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6. Current status of EPUB novels
 Characters are mostly in JIS X 0213
 Text images are used for a number of reasons and they hamper accessibility.
 We have to consider each reason and provide an accessible alternative.
 SSML and PLS are not used yet.
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7. Current status of EPUB textbooks (not
DAISY textbooks)
 EPUB textbooks are still prototypes.
 They try to mimic sophisticated layout of existing paper textbooks.
 What about accessibility?
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8. Relationship with the EPUB Japanese
provile (EBPAJ guideline)
 EPUB publications based on the profile do not conform to EPUB Accessibility
1.0.
 Some low-handing fruits should be adopted as part of the profile.
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9. Can we conform to EPUB Accessibility
1.0?
 Some requirements are demanding, but most of them are non-mandatory.
 Which requirements should we begin with?
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10. Possible Additions to EPUB Accessibility
Techniques 1.0
 Techniques specific to Japanese requirements should be added.
 Values of accessibilityFeature/rubyAnnotations
 No ruby, partial ruby, or full ruby?
 Is ruby in the original is expanded, deleted or preserved?
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