Telephone Helpline for Foreign Residents in Japan

the Kyoto YWCA's APT Helpline
075-451-6522

Who is APT?

APT (Asian People Together) is a group within the Kyoto YWCA which supports foreign residents in Japan.

Kyoto YWCA is a Christian non-profit women's community service organization founded in 1923.

APT strives to help create a multicultural society in which people with different ethnic backgrounds live together in peace..

APT provides a multilingual telephone helpline service.

Please call us
if you are a foreign resident living in Japan and are in need of some help, for example,

Depending on your inquiry, we may refer you to a specialist, offer you an escort and language help, provide you with information regarding Japanese law, or offer to tutor your children.

We have helped people from the following countries: Brazil, China, France, Iran, Japan, Korea, Pakistan, Philippines, Romania, Russia, Singapore, Sweden, Thailand, Ukraine, United States and Vietnam.

We have counselors who speak Japanese, Chinese, English, French, Tagalog, and Thai. We can also arrange for interpreters of other languages.

History of the APT

In 1991, we started a multilingual telephone consultation service called Asian People Together (APT). APT's activities now also include supporting children and families from all multi-cultural backgrounds. The APT staff is primarily made up of volunteers.

In Japan, where many people consider their country to be racially homogeneous nation, there has been limited consideration for the human rights of foreign residents. Even as recently as the 1980's, there were almost no government support systems for foreign residents -- even though there was a sharp rise in workers arriving from abroad -- especially woman from Asian countries. Many of these women worked and lived in poor conditions, including being forced to work in the sex industry.

Seeing a need, the Kyoto YWCA established the APT Telephone Helpline in 1991, at first focusing on the needs of Asian women, and then expanding to deal with the problems of all foreign residents -- not only Asians.

Activities of APT

Telephone Service

We provide an information service for foreign residents in Japan to help them solve their problems. We are called about a range of issues -- from employment in Japan to difficulties with raising children. We often work in cooperation with specialist groups, such as lawyers and visa specialists, and we offer an escort for our clients to avoid language difficulties in public offices. We always respect each client's confidentiality, and respect the decisions they make.

Activities for Children of International Single Mothers

We organize a variety of events for these children, including summer camps. These are conducted principally by student volunteers. These are designed to help these children enjoy themselves, even though their mothers are suffering to reconcile two different cultures and customs.

Private Tutoring

This service is offered to children whose single mothers cannot afford after-school coaching classes (juku), to help them keep up with their classes at school.

Multicultural Learning Program

Introduced in 1998, this scheme aims to encourage educators and students to learn from each other to help create a society in which people with different values live together in peace. This includes multicultural education classes (and preparation training for these), and sending APT members to speak at workshops and lectures.

Advocacy

We petition the local government for improvement of the treatment of domestic violence victims, in cooperation with other support groups for women.

CONTACT US

APT Telephone Helpline: 075-451-6522

Email apt@kyoto.ywca.or.jp
(Japanese, Chinese, English, French, Tagalog, and Thai)

Kyoto YWCA, Konoe-cho 44, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto, 602-8019 Kyoto YWCA Main Office

Tel: 075-431-0351　Fax: 075-431-0352

http://kyoto.ywca.or.jp/ (Japanese only)