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 Otonari-san Family Friend Program (OFP) involves Japanese volunteers and foreign residents working together as fixed pairs for six months. In contrast, the "Spot Otonari-san" program provides assistance for specific, one-time issues. Both the Spot Otonari-san and OFP are operated by our organization, and the two programs complement each other. If you would like to continue working with a volunteer you met through the Spot Otonari-san program, you can also apply to become an OFP pair.

A: Individuals such as company employees, homemakers, students, and seniors who are interested in cultural synergy, supporting foreigners, 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 hoursThis will be.

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 outline and publish the scope of our support activities, the content of the support provided, and the rules for participation. Additionally, all volunteers and foreign residents participating in the activities must register with their real names and engage in direct communication through identity verification and interviews. We continuously strive to ensure the security of personal information and to protect participants' privacy, making every effort to improve our operations. However, we cannot completely eliminate all concerns, so we ask that you participate with a healthy sense of safety. If you encounter any confusion during the support process, please contact the JII office immediately at 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 have specific requests, we will do our best to accommodate them at the time of your request, but please understand that it may vary depending on the availability of our volunteers, so we cannot guarantee anything. If you would like to have ongoing interactions with a volunteer, please apply for pairing in our "Otonari-san Family Friend Program (OFP)."

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.