A: "Spot Otonari-san " is a volunteer-based support initiative aimed at foreign residents living in Japan, providing one-time assistance in essential areas of daily life. It not only addresses the inconveniences, challenges, and anxieties that foreigners may experience in their everyday lives but also serves as an opportunity for Japanese and foreigners to engage directly, fostering mutual understanding.

A: The OFP (Otonari-san Family Friend Program) involves Japanese volunteers and foreign residents forming fixed pairs to engage in continuous activities over six months, whereas "Spot Otonari-san" provides one-time assistance for specific issues. Both "Spot Otonari-san" and OFP are operated by our organization, and the two activities complement each other. If you wish to continue working with a volunteer you met through Spot Otonari-san, you can also apply to become an OFP pair.

A: They include company employees, homemakers, students, and seniors—people who are interested in cultural synergy, support for foreign residents, and international exchange, and who have a desire to support foreign residents living in Japan.

A: For the time being, our in-person support is limited to Tokyo and the surrounding areas. We will only accept requests from distant locations that can be handled online.

A: You can request support specifically for procedures and communication related to essential infrastructure development in welfare, healthcare, education, and daily life.
For example: filling out nursery school enrollment documents, making inquiries and reservations by phone, scheduling appointments and procedures at hospitals, accompanying parents to meetings at educational institutions, accompanying children during health check-ups, contacting service providers for internet, gas, water, and electricity setup, accompanying real estate consultations, and making inquiries at post offices, government offices, and service providers.

A: Our support is specialized in the areas of welfare, healthcare, education, and essential life services. We do not provide support related to employment, business, leisure, hobbies, or social activities. Please make sure to review the Terms of Use section on "What We Cannot Support" before submitting your request.

A: Support is free. Foreign users are only required to cover the actual costs for spot volunteer transportation and bank transfer fees.

A: From the day support is neededMore than 5 business days aheadPlease make your request for the date and time.

If there are no volunteers available at the specified date and time, you may not be able to receive support. In that case, we will be sure to contact you at least three days in advance.

A: What we can accommodate isWeekdays and Saturdays from 8:30 AM to 6:00 PMThis means that, in principle, the support time for each session isUp to 3 hours

A: When making a request, please let us know as many languages as possible that you would like to use for support, as well as any languages you are able to use. However, we cannot guarantee that we will find someone who can provide support in your preferred language. Depending on the language, there may be volunteers from abroad who have lived in Japan for a long time available to assist.

A: We clearly define and publish the scope, support content, and participation rules for this support activity. Additionally, volunteers and foreign residents participating in the activities are required to register with their real names, verify their identities, and engage in direct communication through interviews and other means. Furthermore, we continuously make our best efforts to manage security related to personal information and to improve operations to prevent any infringement on participants' privacy. However, since it is impossible to completely eliminate all concerns, please participate with a healthy awareness of safety. If you encounter any confusion during support, please contact the JII Secretariat immediately (onetimesupport@j-ii.org).

A: Not until now. There is a possibility of miscommunication between the client and the volunteer, so if you always communicate through the office, we can provide appropriate follow-up from the office, which we believe can help avoid any troubles.

A: Volunteers participate in activities out of a genuine desire to support foreign residents living in Japan. Among the volunteers are those who have been helped by locals during their time abroad, those who wish to experience foreign cultures, and those who want to utilize their language skills to assist foreign residents.

A: If you wish, we will accept such a request at the time of your inquiry; however, it may vary depending on the volunteer’s availability, so we cannot guarantee it. If you want to have ongoing interaction with a volunteer, please apply for a pair through the Otonari-san Family Friend Program (OFP) operated by our organization.

A: It's best to avoid crowded places like train stations, as it's difficult to find each other. As a rule, please arrange to meet at the location where support is provided (such as government offices, hospitals, schools, daycare centers, or kindergartens). Additionally, in case of emergencies, you may need to provide a phone number that can be reached on the day of the meeting to the volunteer in advance.

A: Spot volunteers can accompany individuals to medical appointments, but they cannot be requested to interpret the content of the examination accurately and completely as medical interpreters. Spot volunteers serve to assist communication with healthcare professionals to ensure that procedures and appointments run smoothly. Please make sure you understand this point before making a request. If you require professional medical interpretation, it can be sought as a paid service, so please consult the office.