Telephone operators manually operated switchboards to physically connect callers. When a caller lifted the receiver, they reached an operator and said "Number XX, please." The operator then used plugs and jacks to connect the circuit. This profession began in Japan with the 1890 telephone service launch.
Early operators were predominantly women, called "exchange ladies" (koukan-jou). It was a prestigious profession with rigorous entrance exams testing voice clarity, memory, and quick judgment. Memorizing hundreds of phone numbers was common. Operators could hear conversations, so strict confidentiality obligations were enforced.
Japan's first automatic exchange in 1926 gradually reduced operators' roles. Direct dialing eliminated the need for manual connection. The last manual exchange was automated in 1979, ending approximately 90 years of telephone operators.
Today, "104" (directory assistance) and "100" (operator-assisted calls) still employ human operators, carrying on the tradition. Corporate receptionists routing calls are modern-day operators in a different form. See telephone evolution history and origin of moshi-moshi for telephone culture history.