American Citizen Services
Sources of Help
We hope the following reference may be useful to you. The U.S. government does not endorse any of these organizations. You should also look into additional sources of help suggested by friends and colleagues.
General Assistance / Counseling Services / Legal Assistance / Medical Assistance / Employment Assistance
Immigration Information Center, Tokyo Regional Immigration Bureau (03) 5796-7112
09:00 to 12:00; 13:00 to 16:00 Monday through Friday
Japan Helpline
24-hour volunteer counseling service to assist people in trouble through its own resources or by referral to other sources of help with any problem or crisis. Japan Helpline can also meet with you in person if needed to discuss problems and frustrations.
0120-461-997 (toll-free, but reachable from within Japan only)
0570-000-911 (reachable from within Japan only)
From overseas, please call 81-3-3435-8017
Email: team@jhelp.com
Tokyo English Life Line (TELL)
03-5774-0992
Trained volunteers offer free telephone counseling and information in English seven days a week, from 9:00 AM to 11:00 PM.
Foreign Resident's Advisory Center, Tokyo Metropolitan Gov.
03-5320-7744
General counseling service on marital, family and other personal difficulties including traffic accidents. Can explain nuts and bolts of living in Japan. English service is available 9:30 - 12:00 & 13:00 -17:00, Monday through Friday.
Tokyo's Ward and City Office Foreign Resident Advisory Services
List of contacts of general counseling services provided by Tokyo's Ward and City Offices.
Counseling Services for Foreign Residents, Kanagawa, 045-324-2299
www.pref.kanagawa.jp
Legal counseling is available 13:30 - 16:00, every 3rd Tuesday. General counseling in English is available 9:00 - 12:00 & 13:00 - 17:15, every 1st, 3rd and 5th Tuesday.
Kanagawa International Foundation, 045-896-2626
www.k-i-a.or.jp/english
English is available 8:45 - 17:30, Tuesday through Sunday.
Yokohama Association for International Communications and Exchanges, 045-222-1209
http://www.yoke.or.jp/english/index.html
Consultation in English is available 10:00 - 17:00 (lunch break 11:30 - 12:30), Monday through Friday. 4th Saturday, 10:00 - 13:00.
Chiba Convention Bureau and International Center 043-297-2966
www.ccb.or.jp/e
English is available 9:00 - 12:00 & 13:00 - 16:00, Monday through Friday.
Fukushima International Association, 024-524-1315/1316
www.worldvillage.org
English is available 8:30 - 17:30, Tuesday through Saturday.
Gunma International Association, 027-243-7271
www.pref.gunma.jp
English is available 9:15 - 17:15, Monday through Thursday.
Ibaraki International Association, 029-244-3811
www.ia-ibaraki.or.jp
English is available 8:30 - 17:15, Monday through Friday.
International Relations Division, Nagano 026-232-3413
English is available 8:30 - 17:15, Monday through Thursday, 8:30 - 11:30, Friday.
Association of Nagano Prefecture for Promoting International Exchange (ANPIE), 026-232-0111
English is available 8:30 - 17:15, Monday - Friday.
Niigata International Association, 025-241-1881
www.niigata-ia.or.jp/en
English is available 10:00 - 13:00, Thursday.
Saitama Information and Support (SIS) 048-833-3296, 048-835-2423
www.pref.saitama.lg.jp
English is available 9:00 - 16:00, Monday and Friday.
Shizuoka City Association for Multicultural Exchange
054-273-5931 (Shizuoka Headquarters); 054-354-2009 (Shimizu Branch)
www.samenet.jp
English is available, Monday - Friday
Tochigi International Association, 028-627-3399
tia21.or.jp
English is available 9:00 - 16:00, Tuesday through Friday.
Association for International Relations in Yamagata 023-646-8861
www.airyamagata.org/english/counseling
English is available 10:00 - 17:00, Tuesday through Saturday.
Yamanashi International Association 055-228-5419
www.yia.or.jp
English is available 19:00 - 20:30 every first Wednesday of each month.
Foreign Students Advisory Service, 03-3465-7550
Advice for foreign students on scholarships, housing problems, Japanese visas and resolving difficulties of daily life in Japan.
Help, 03-3368-8855
24-hour counseling service and shelter for women in trouble, established by the Japan Woman's Christian Temperance Union.
Saalaa Women's Shelter, 045-901-3527, Fax 045-902-4045
Place where foreign women, who are in urgent need of shelter as a result of human rights violations and domestic violence, can rest mentally and physically.
More Resources for Victims of Domestic Violence
Aki Counseling Clinic, 090-3428-2333
1-1-20-108 Azabudai, Minato-ku, Tokyo 106-0041
www.akicounseling.com, Email: akiko@akicounseling.com (to make an appointment by email)
AMI Counseling, 03-3448-1272
Manaka Bldg. 5F, 3-17-5 Shiroganedai, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-0071
Psychological counseling services for the foreign community.
Aurora Counseling Center, 03-5275-3638 (call for appointment), Monday - Thursday, 10:00 - 16:00, Medical Friend Bldg 1F, 3-2-4 Kudan-kita, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo
Professional psychological counseling in English 10:00 - 20:00, Monday through Saturday.
K-M Counseling Ltd., Telephone & Fax 042-636-5426
Offices at Omotesando & Hachioji
Email: jmcrae@gol.com
Dr. Jim McRae, Ph. D.
A private, community-based counseling service of therapy services to the English speaking community of Japan.
Meguro Counseling Center, 03-3716-6624
Bilingual American Psychiatrist Doug Berger, M.D., Ph.D., and staff counselors in the Ebisu-Shibuya area of Tokyo.
TELL Community Counseling Service (TCCS), 03-3498-0231
Professional counseling in English, Japanese and Spanish at several locations in Tokyo and Yokohama. All therapists are U.S.-trained and qualified. Fees are based on the gross family income of each client, so that no one is ever turned away.
International Mental Health Professionals Japan
This organization offers an online, searchable database of mental health professionals throughout Japan. You can search for a care provider in a number of ways, including by location or languages spoken.
AMDA International Medical Information Center
Tel (Tokyo): 03-5285-8088, Tel (Kansai): 06-4395-0555
English is available 9:00 - 17:00, Monday through Friday.
Medical referral service.
Tokyo Metropolitan Health and Medical Information Center Foreign Language Assistance
03-5285-8181 (9:00 - 20:00), Emergency Interpretation Service 03-5285-8185 (Weekdays: 17:00 - 20:00; Weekend/holidays: 9:00 - 20:00)
Alcoholics Anonymous in Tokyo
03-3971-1471
email: inquiries@aatokyo.org.
Japan HIV Center (JHC) English Hotline 03-5259-0256
www.npo-jhc.com
English is available 12:00 - 15:00, Saturday.
PLACE Tokyo, 03-3361-8909
AIDS counseling 13:00 - 17:00, Sunday.
Houterasu (The Japan Legal Support Center)
A nationwide legal support center which helps callers locate professional support in civil and criminal matters. Call Center: 0570-078374.
Bar Association Legal Counseling Centers
- Tokyo (every day): Yotsuya Ekimae Bldg., 2F 1-4 Yotsuya, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo: Tel: (03) 5367-5280
- Yokohama (every Wednesday): 9 Nihon-Odori, Naka-ku, Yokohama, Tel: (045) 211-7700
- Saitama (every Friday): 4-2-1 Takasago, Urawa-ku, Saitama, Tel: (048) 710-5666
International Social Service Japan
03-3760-3471, 3-6-18-601 Kami Meguro, Meguro-ku, Tokyo
Professional social workers deals with social welfare problems involving more than one country's laws or customs. Mostly used by Americans for adoptions, but will also assist foreigners with marital and legal problems.
Human Rights Counseling Center for Foreigners 03-5213-1372
Tokyo Legal Affairs Bureau, Kudan Dai-Ni Godo-chosha 12F, 1-1-15 Kudan-Minami, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo.
English is available 13:30 - 16:00, Tuesday and Thursday.
Tokyo Employment Service Center for Foreigners
The center supports foreign job seekers including foreign students sho seek employment in Japan and foreign nationals with eligible work visas.
Tel: 03-5339-8625
Tokyo Metropolitan Labor Consultation Center
Labor consultation for foreign residents:
- Iidabashi Office: 03-3265-6110, Mon - Fri, 14:00 - 16:00
- Osaki Office: 03-3495-6110, Wed. only, 14:00 - 16:00
- Kokubunji Office: 042-321-6110, Wed. only, 14:00 - 16:00
Tokyo Labour Bureau Labor Standards Office
Labor consultation service for foreign residents
Tel: 03-3512-1612
English 10:00 - 12:00, 13:00 - 15:00, Mon, Wed, and Fri.
Kanagawa Labor Bureau 045-211-7351
English is available 9:00 - 12:00, 13:00 - 16:30, Monday, Tuesday and Thursday.
Chiba Labor Standards Office, 043-221-2304
English is available 9:00 - 12:00, 13:00 - 17:00, Tuesday and Thursday.
Fukushima Labor Bureau, 024-536-4602
English is available 9:00 - 12:00, 13:00 - 17:00, Monday, Tuesday and Friday.
Gunma Labor Bureau, 027-210-5003, Japanese only.
Ibaraki Labor Bureau, 029-224-6214
English is available 9:00 - 12:00, 13:00 - 17:00, Twice a week (Days change monthly)
Nagano Labor Bureau, 026-223-0553, Japanese only.
Niigata Labor Bureau, 025-234-5922
English is available 8:30 - 12:00, 13:00 - 16:30 on Thursday.
Saitama Labor Bureau, 048-600-6204
English is available 9:00 - 17:00, Wednesday and Friday.
Shizuoka Labor Bureau, 054-254-6352
English is available 10:00 - 12:00, 13:00 - 16:00, Monday and Friday.
Tochigi, Hello Work Office Utsunomiya Station Plaza, 028-623-8609
English is available 10:00 - 12:00 on Thursday.
Yamagata Labor Standards Office, 023-624-8222, Japanese only.
Yamanashi Labor Standards Office, 055-225-2853, Japanese only.