Japan

Context at a glance

A Japanese volunteer working on a Habitat house in Thailand

According to the International Monetary Fund’s 2006 rankings, Japan boasts the second-largest economy in the world. The country is also an active donor of overseas development assistance.

While Japan’s citizens enjoy very high standards of living, costs are also steep with Tokyo and Osaka regularly topping the rankings of the world’s most expensive cities.

Behind the economic, industrial and financial strength, Japan is changing. Social problems ranging from homelessness to unemployment are more acute and more visible than in the past. However, social ills are less pervasive than those found in other industrialized societies.

Habitat for Humanity programme

Habitat for Humanity International opened a support office in 2001 to accommodate the increasing numbers of Global Village volunteers originating from Japan and to guide the numerous campus chapters that were formed.

In November 2003, Habitat’s presence was upgraded and expanded when it obtained a formal non-profit organization status. Today, HFH Japan is a full-scale national office with affiliates in Tokyo and Osaka.

In 2006, Habitat became a member of the Japan Platform, a non-profit organisation that pools government funds and private donations to provide emergency relief and reconstruction assistance for victims of natural disasters and conflicts.

HFH Japan sends up to 800 volunteers overseas via Global Village trips each year. The top three Asian destinations are the Philippines, Thailand and India, but many volunteers are also heading to Europe, Hawaii and the US mainland.

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