What We Do / Our Work
Filling the Gaps with Mutual Aid
Many foreign residents living in Japan are vital partners in their local communities. Yet language barriers, cultural differences, and a lack of accessible support often leave them isolated.
At GOJOplus, we don’t believe in one-sided assistance. Instead, we work to build equal relationships where both foreign and Japanese residents meet each other halfway, drawing on each other’s strengths. We walk alongside people to help resolve the everyday challenges that fall through the cracks of public systems — through the power of community mutual aid.
Three Pillars of Our Program
Three pillars that create
safety and connection
Foreign Resident Help Desk
Turning “I don’t know” and “I’m stuck” into peace of mind
We respond to the anxiety of not knowing where to turn, and work together to find a way forward.
We welcome inquiries not only from foreign residents, but also from Japanese residents, businesses, and organizations who are unsure how to communicate or work with people from other cultures.
Wide-ranging support
From employment and education to healthcare and government procedures, we help people sort through life’s challenges and connect them with the right information and specialist services.
Preventive support through knowledge
We create easy-to-understand materials and run orientations on Japan’s social systems and local rules, empowering foreign residents to independently access the information they need.
Nihongo Cafe
Connections that go beyond teaching and learning
Our Nihongo Cafe is more than just a place to study Japanese. It’s a space where people gather over a cup of tea and connect through everyday conversation.
The Nihongo Cafe experience
We bring the cafe to neighborhoods where many foreign residents live, making it easy and welcoming for anyone to drop in.
Participants exchange the kind of practical, real-life knowledge you won’t find in a textbook — things like how to read the local community newsletter or which supermarket to shop at.
Encounters beyond the classroom
It’s not just Japanese residents doing the teaching. We also value the time spent learning from the cultures and perspectives that foreign residents bring with them.
The face-to-face relationships formed here naturally grow into new connections within the community — from joining local events to becoming part of neighborhood life.
Building a Supportive Community
Building awareness and systems across the community
We lay the groundwork for a truly inclusive community where everyone can thrive.
“Plain Japanese” Workshops
We offer workshops for local residents and government staff on Yasashii Nihongo — a simplified form of Japanese that makes communication clearer.
It’s an essential shared language for everyday interactions and especially in emergencies.
Intercultural Understanding Classes in Schools
Foreign residents take the lead as guest instructors, sharing their lives and cultures with students.
These sessions give children the chance to experience diversity firsthand, right in their own classroom.
The Synergy We Aim For
The Synergy We Aim For
Our work began with supporting Ukrainian evacuees. What we learned from that experience — how to build systems where anyone can live safely and authentically — has since grown into a broader model for multicultural coexistence, one that explores how foreign and Japanese residents can truly live alongside one another, regardless of nationality.
The kind of warm, face-to-face connections that are only possible in a close-knit local community. At GOJOplus, we don’t separate the local from the global — and we’re committed to building, right here in this community, a society where every individual is valued.
Reports
Activity Reports: Multicultural Coexistence
Thank
You!
Your support and action have the power
to change society.
At GOJOplus, we welcome support in many forms
— from individual donations to collaborative projects with local governments and businesses.