We are excited to share that “The Giving Back Project by People from Overseas” has officially kicked off its community activities at a local housing complex that is home to a growing international community!

Our first step has been simple yet essential: listening directly to the residents to understand their everyday realities.

The complex is facing an aging population and is actively looking for new members to help run and support the neighborhood. At the same time, about 15% of the residents are people from overseas, yet meaningful collaboration between the two groups has not quite taken root. Speaking with members of the residents’ association, we heard genuine concerns such as not knowing how to interact, daily living rules like waste disposal not being fully shared, or simply feeling intimidated by differences in tone or physical presence. On the other hand, residents from overseas voiced their own challenges, sharing that language barriers make it difficult to know how to start a conversation.

What became clear through these conversations is that both Japanese and overseas residents share a touch of mutual hesitation—alongside a real desire to live together peacefully and in harmony.

The complex already hosts initiatives like Japanese language classes and multicultural workshops for Japanese residents. Moving forward, we will be collaborating closely with these organizers and participants to explore meaningful ways for residents from overseas to step up as active contributors to the local community.