OFP

Please tell us how you came to know about the Otonari-san Family Friend Program (OFP). With an eye toward my second life, I wanted to start volunteer activities now that would allow me to make use of my interests and things I like outside of work […]

Please share how you learned about OFP and why you decided to participate. Mr. Yumoto had been studying English for a long time and was looking for volunteer opportunities where he could utilize his English skills. It was during this time that he discovered OFP, which helps foreigners living in Japan […]

Hello everyone! We have released an interview video with Otonari-san volunteers. A couple with small children shares their impressions of participating as volunteers in JII's Otonari-san Family Friend Program (OFP) […]

We received the 17th "Kamenori Award - Grassroots Category" and attended the award ceremony held in Ichigaya on January 12. The Kamenori Award recognizes grassroots contributions to promoting mutual understanding and exchange, as well as human resource development, mainly among the younger generations in Japan and Asia-Oceania, and supports future activities […]

To celebrate the 3rd anniversary of the Otonari-san Family Friend Program (OFP), we will hold a members-only networking event. Would you like to spend an enjoyable time connecting with others? At the event, not only will there be interaction between Otonari-san volunteers and foreign participants, but also […]

From April 1, 2023 to August 31, 2023, we have been conducting activities with the support of the Central Community Chest of Japan (CCCJ) through the Support Grant for Activities Assisting People with Foreign Roots (3rd round). Here, we present our activity report. OFP is an organization where foreign residents in Japan [...]

What sparked your interest in the Otonari-san program? I found this program through an internet search, and since JII's website said it "supports foreigners living in Japan," I decided to apply. I work at a Korean company […]

How did you come to know about the Otonari-san program? Two years ago, a friend of mine participated in this program. When I told her that I was struggling to understand various things in Japan, she told me about this program. The story […]

What made you decide to join the Otonari-san program? I learned about this program from a foreign friend. Before joining, I had few Japanese friends and was very shy even when I had opportunities to communicate with Japanese people […]

Q: What made you decide to participate in Otonari-san? Fujii-san: I wanted to meet foreigners and hoped my children would develop an international perspective. I learned about this program through a recruitment notice for foreign families who came to Japan, posted at the ward's child-rearing plaza. In Japan, […]

Q: What made you decide to participate in Otonari-san? M.Y.: Because I was treated kindly by local people during my life abroad, I want to help foreigners as well. When I was living overseas due to my husband's job transfer, I wanted to learn more about the country's culture and customs, and to feel at ease […]