Network with Related Organizations

In 2007, the "Multilingual Support System in times of disaster" agreement was signed at the Kinki Council of Local Authorities for International Relations, which is composed of local international exchange associations ¹ from the 5 Prefectures and 3 deisgnated cities（Shiga Prefecture, Kyoto Prefecture, Osaka Prefecture, Hyogo Prefecture, Wakayama Prefecture, Kyoto City, Osaka City, Kobe City）in the Kinki area.

This agreement is a basic agreement to establish a system of wide area support, which goes beyond local municipalities, during earthquakes and disasters. Support includes sharing of volunteer information and dispatch of interpreters.

Based on this agreement, each association has prepared a registration system for Interpreter and Translator Volunteers in times of disaster and is conducting Disaster Volunteer Training and multilingual Disaster Support Center Set-up and Management simulation training together with the Council.

¹ Local multicultural associations

Local multicultural associations, established to promote internationalization, that are recognized by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communication as core private international associations.

OFIX, together with 5 associations in Osaka(Osaka International House Foundation, Association for Toyonaka Multicultural Symbiosis, Tondabayashi Intercultural Communication Center, Suita International Friendship Association, Minoh Association for Global Awareness) and 3 municipalities (Sakai City, Ikeda City, Izumi City), compose the "Multicultural Association Network Osaka."

Also, the Osaka Prefecture and NPO National Council for Multicultural Corporate Manager is participating in the Multicultural Association Network Osaka as an observer and together with related people from various areas, are conducting programs related to multicultural symbiosis and support for foreign residents in Osaka.

During the Great East Japan earthquake in 2013, the Multilingual support center for the Touhoku Earthquake out at Pacific ocean was establish led by the NPO National Council for Multicultural Corporate Manager and provided Chinese language translation support. Taking advantage of this, they conducted continuous training composed of lectures entitled, "Considering about the support for foreigners in times of disasters" (3 sessions), seminars (2 sessions), one report and an evaluation session.
Besides, after the Northern Osaka Earthquake occurred in June 2018, based on the request of Ibaraki city, affiliated bodies of Network Osaka dispatched English and Chinese language volunteers by rotation to support foreign residents with interpretation/translation for two weeks.

This kind of advanced network composed of multiple international associations collaborating to conduct a project is rare in other areas and it is even mentioned in the Foreign Residents Disaster Support Information in the homepage of the Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR) ² as an example case for each region.

² Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR)

Works to support the internationalization efforts of local governments in Japan through providing training opportunities, supporting multiculturalism and revitalization pf regional economies.

The Kansai International Volunteer Network （KIV・NET）was established in 1996 following the occasion of the Osaka APEC Meeting in 1995, with the aim of contributing to the development and promotion of international exchange volunteer activities. Support for volunteer activities at international events such as Sibos 2012 Osaka and the Osaka Marathon have been conducted through a network presently composed of 64 organizations.

OFIX and International House, Osaka, take turns in becoming the Secretariat and not only arrange for Executive Committee Meetings and General Meetings, but also promote the sharing and exchange of information among the member organizations through a mailing list.