日本語
English
नेपाली
Due to Russia's military invasion of Ukraine, over 4 million Ukrainians have been forced to flee the country as of April 1. While the number of refugees coming to Japan is not as high compared to neighboring countries, there are still a significant number of evacuees who rely on friends and family to seek refuge in Japan.
Sadly, people forced to flee overseas due to similar fears and threats to their lives are spread across the globe, including Myanmar, Afghanistan, Syria, and Palestine.
In response to such a heartbreaking reality, JII wishes to take concrete support actions as a whole team through the activities we usually carry out, even if our efforts are small.
■Target Audience: Refugees living in Japan (regardless of nationality)
■Content of Support Activities:
In our "Otonari-san Family Friend Program (abbreviated OFP)," Japanese residents volunteer to pair up with foreign residents living nearby in the same community and have carried out activities such as the following.
For six months, we provide personalized support through one-on-one interactions, whether in person, online, or via chat. This includes addressing questions and challenges faced by foreign residents in their daily lives, differences in cultural lifestyles, practicing everyday Japanese, and understanding the unique social rules and manners of their local community. Throughout the program, a dedicated coordinator will assist in facilitating communication and resolving individual issues.
We introduce the Otonari-san Family Friend Program (abbreviated as OFP) to refugees in multiple languages and provide communication support that has been conducted with foreign residents who have lived in Japan for many years.
■Available Foreign Language: English
■Number of families accepted: 3 families/month (until the end of 2023)
■Cost: Free
■Note:
Japanese volunteers (Otonari-san) are ordinary citizens and provide support only for daily life in Japan that does not require specialized knowledge.
Care that requires expertise in healthcare and welfare, as well as systematic Japanese language education, is not included.
If there are highly specialized consultations that OPF cannot handle, JII will provide information from government agencies and related consultation organizations as much as possible.
Otonari-san Family Friend Program
As of April 1, more than four million Ukrainians have fled their home country due to Russia's military invasion. While the number of Ukrainian evacuees arriving in Japan is relatively small compared to neighboring countries, there are still those who seek refuge in Japan, hoping for support from friends and family.
Tragically, an increasing number of people are being forced to flee their home countries due to fear and danger in their lives, as seen in places like Myanmar, Afghanistan, Syria, and Palestine.
For those heartbreaking realities, we, the JII team, launch support, which extends from our ongoing program OFP, for those who have evacuated to Japan.
■ Eligible Individuals
Evacuees beginning their new lives in Japan (Home country not specified.)
■ Details of Our Support
Our program OFP, known as the Otonari-san Family Friend program, provides support for foreign nationals living in Japan by pairing them with Otonari-sans, Japanese volunteers who reside nearby. A brief summary of the program is below.
For six months, they interact with each other through face-to-face meetings, online sessions, and texting. Through interaction with an Otonari-san, a foreign resident receives personalized support in resolving questions and difficulties encountered in daily life, in facilitating understanding of cultural differences, in practicing Japanese for everyday conversation, and in learning the rules and manners of a specific local community. Additionally, our coordinators monitor their interactions to facilitate smooth communication and address individual issues.
To evacuees, we will introduce this program in multiple languages and provide communication support through OFP, which has been assisting foreign residents living in Japan for many years.
■ Available Languages
English
■ The number of individuals we provide support for
Three families per month (until the end of 2023)
■ Participation Fee
Free
■ Note
Otonari-san volunteers are ordinary Japanese citizens. Therefore, support will be limited to matters related to daily life that do not require specialized knowledge.
Requests that require specialized knowledge, such as in the fields of medical welfare or the Japanese language, will NOT be included in our support.
If participants request support requiring expertise in specialized areas that the program cannot address, we will provide information about public services or related organizations to the best of our ability.
As of April 1, 2022, over four million Ukrainians have left their homeland due to the military invasion by Russia. Although the number of evacuated Ukrainians arriving in Japan is not as large compared to neighboring countries, there are those who are fleeing to Japan in hopes of receiving support from their friends and relatives.
Unfortunately, more and more people around the world are being forced to leave their home countries due to fear and threats to their lives. For example, the number of refugees from Myanmar, Afghanistan, Syria, and Palestine is increasing.
In these sad realities, we, the JII team, are launching support that extends our current OFP program for those who have evacuated to Japan.
■ Eligible Participants:
Evacuees starting a new life in Japan (home country not specified).
■ Details of our support:
Our OFP (Otonari-san Family Friend) program offers support to foreign residents living in Japan. Otonari-san are Japanese volunteers who live in the nearby neighborhood.
A brief overview of the program is below.
For six months, the volunteer and the person needing support interact with each other through face-to-face meetings, online communication, and text messages. Through their interaction with Otonari-san, the evacuee receives personalized support in resolving issues and difficulties that arise in daily life, understanding cultural differences, practicing Japanese for everyday conversation, and learning the rules and manners of a specific local community. Our coordinators also monitor their interaction to facilitate communication and address individual concerns.
For evacuees, we will implement this program in multiple languages and offer communication support through OFP, which has long supported foreign residents living in Japan.
■ Available Language
English
■ Number of people we offer support to:
Three families per month (until the end of 2023)
■ Participation Fee
Free
■ Note
Otonari-san are Japanese volunteers who are ordinary citizens. Therefore, the support will be limited to everyday life issues that do not require specialized knowledge.
Requests that require specialized knowledge, such as in the fields of medical welfare, Japanese language, etc., will NOT be included in our support.
If participants request support that requires knowledge in specialized areas that the program cannot address, we provide information about government services or related organizations.
Since the military invasion by Russia on April 1, more than four million Ukrainians have fled their home country. Although the number of Ukrainian evacuees coming to Japan is not significantly higher compared to neighboring countries of Ukraine, there are still those who escape to Japan in hopes of support from their friends and relatives.
It is unfortunate that more and more people around the world, such as those in Myanmar, Afghanistan, Syria, and Palestine, are being forced to flee their countries due to fear and danger in their lives.
For those heartbreaking realities, we, the JII team, have launched support that extends from our ongoing OFP program for people who have left Japan.
■ Eligible individuals starting a life in Japan (home country not specified.)
■ Details for Our Support
Our OFP program, known as the Otonari-san Family Friend Program, provides support for foreign nationals living in Japan by connecting them with Japanese volunteers who reside in close proximity. A brief summary of the program is provided below. For six months, participants engage in face-to-face interactions as well as online communication and texting. Through conversations with an Otonari-san, foreign residents receive personal support in resolving questions and challenges encountered in daily life, facilitating an understanding of cultural differences, practicing the Japanese language for everyday conversations, and learning the rules and etiquette of the local community in a certain manner. Additionally, our coordinators monitor their interactions to facilitate communication and address personal issues.
For those who have been removed, we will offer this program in multiple languages and provide communication assistance through OFP, which has long supported foreign residents living in Japan.
■ Available Languages
English
■ The number of people we assist
Three families per month (by the end of 2023)
■Participation Fee
Free
■ Note
Otonari-san are ordinary citizens serving as Japanese volunteers. Therefore, support will be limited to matters related to daily life that do not require specialized knowledge.
Requests that require specialized knowledge, such as in the field of medical welfare or the Japanese language, will not be included in our support. If participants request support for knowledge in specific areas, we will provide information to public services or relevant organizations as much as possible.
Since the Russian military invasion on April 1st, more than four million Ukrainians have fled their homeland. Although the number of Ukrainians arriving in Japan is not as high compared to neighboring countries, there are still those who escape to Japan in hopes of helping their friends and relatives.
It is unfortunate that more and more people around the world, such as those from Myanmar, Afghanistan, Syria, and Palestine, are being forced to leave their countries due to fear and danger for their lives.
In response to these heartbreaking realities, we, the JII team, are launching support expanded from our ongoing OFP program for those who have left Japan. Return of eligible individuals who started their lives in Japan (country of origin not specified). Details for our support
As the Otonari-san Family-friend Program, our OFP program provides support by connecting foreign nationals living in Japan with Japanese volunteers called Otonari-sans who live in nearby areas. A brief summary of the program is given below. For six months, they communicate face-to-face, online, and via texting. Through conversations with Otonari-san, foreign residents are helped to resolve questions and difficulties encountered in daily life, to understand cultural differences, to practice Japanese for everyday conversation, and to receive personal assistance in learning rules and etiquette in a special way. Local residents. Additionally, our coordinators facilitate their communication and take care of their conversations to ease communication and resolve personal issues.
For those who are removed, we will offer this program in multiple languages and provide communication support through OFP, which has been assisting long-term foreign residents in Japan.
Available Languages
We help all people in English.
Participation fee for three families each month (until the end of 2023)
Free Note
Otonari-san are Japanese volunteers like ordinary citizens. Therefore, support will be limited to matters related to daily life that do not require specialized knowledge.
Requests that require specialized knowledge, such as in the field of medical welfare or the Japanese language, are not covered by our support. If participants request assistance for knowledge in specific areas, we provide as much information as possible to public services or relevant organizations.
Due to the invasion of Ukraine by the Russian military on April 1st, over 4 million Ukrainian citizens have been forced to flee to safety.
The number of Ukrainian refugees who have relocated to Japan is relatively small compared to neighboring countries, but they are able to settle in Japan with the support of friends and family.
There are many people hoping for support and assistance.
People from various countries, including Myanmar, Afghanistan, Syria, and Palestine, have been forced to flee their homelands due to fears of violence and threats to their lives.
In response to these tragic events, the JII team will expand the current OFP programs to provide support and assistance to those who have relocated to Japan.
Eligible Applicants
Individuals residing in Japan (without a designated nationality)
Detailed Support
The program called OFP, or Otonari-san Family, connects Japanese volunteers living near the residences of foreign nationals residing in Japan with those foreign nationals.
The program summary is outlined below
You can communicate with Japanese Otonari-san volunteers through online conversations and messaging for six months. Through mutual communication with Otonari-san, foreign residents living in Japan
As a foreign resident, receiving assistance from Otonari-san in resolving daily life difficulties, understanding cultural differences in living, improving Japanese language skills through communication with Otonari-san, and learning about local rules and regulations
We will provide support
During the six-month period, our supervisors will oversee and facilitate smooth communication with Otonari-san.
We would like to inform you that this program will be offered in various languages.
We will also provide communication support through a program called OFP, which assists foreign residents living in Japan.
Available Languages
English
Supporting Population
Three families per month (up to 2023)
Participation Fee
No admission required
Note
Otonari-san who act as volunteers
We will only provide support that is necessary for the daily lives of ordinary citizens.
Support for Healthcare Social Welfare and Specialized Japanese Language Education
Not included
However, if there are specialized consultations that OPF cannot assist with, JII will share information from the government and relevant advisory organizations.