It's good to do volunteering worldwide and Tokyo is no exception. Volunteerism has grown in popularity in Japan, and there are numerous nonprofit organizations (NPOs) dedicated to a variety of causes that rely on thousands of hours of volunteer assistance to achieve their social missions. The good news for English speakers is that there are numerous opportunities and non-profit organizations that can employ non-Japanese speakers.

Amnesty International Japan

Amnesty International Japan works to promote and protect human rights.

CWAJ

CWAJ is based in Tokyo, they are an organization of multinational women who are interested in cultural exchange, education and friendship.

Grama Seva Japan

With the compassion and help of a small group of volunteers, Grama Seva Japan tries their best to provide excellent meals to homeless people in need at Yoyogi Park, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo.

Habitat for Humanity Japan

Habitat for Humanity works with people in your community and throughout the world to help them build or renovate their homes. Habitat for Humanity homeowners collaborate with volunteers to construct their own homes while paying a manageable mortgage. Because of your support, Habitat homeowners achieve the strength, stability, and independence they require to establish a better life for themselves and their family.

Hands on Tokyo

Hands on Tokyo is a dedicated portal for bilingual volunteering devoted to connecting individuals and groups with meaningful volunteer service opportunities in and around Tokyo. Once you register on their site, you can sign up for a variety of service projects coordinated by Hands on Tokyo through the website. This includes various disaster relief projects, serving in children’s and senior homes, teaching English classes, running sports camps for people with disabilities, making rice balls, making balloon art to decorate children’s homes, and various other opportunities. All projects are run by volunteer leaders who recruit volunteers, provide orientation, and coordinate all projects so you never have to worry about a project falling apart due to lack of leadership.

Japan Association for Refugees

Japan Association for Refugees (JAR) was an independent NPO established in September, 1999 to fulfill its mission by providing refugees and asylum-seekers with relevant legal and social assistance; advocating for the rights of them through government bodies, local authorities and media relations; and advancing policy analysis and information-exchange about them. It anytime welcomes volunteers of all backgrounds, and appreciates any help you can offer! Most JAR staff speak English and Japanese, so you can sign up for volunteer work in English via email. Main volunteer tasks are sorting donated clothing by gender and clothing type and picking up food donations to provide free meals to refugees and asylum seekers.

Mirai no Mori

Mirai no Mori is a Japanese non-profit that creates life-changing outdoor activities for mistreated, abandoned, and orphaned children in order to help them grow into happy and successful adults.

Nature Conservation Society of Japan

The Nature Conservation Society of Japan is an independent NPO focused on conservation and advocacy. The organization has been around since 1949 in one form or another and they work through a variety of programs to contribute to the conservation of natural ecosystems and biodiversity around Japan. Their “Way to Biodiversity” project focuses on connecting people with nature through field trips and various other activities that seek to support biodiversity.

Refugee Empowerment International

Refugee Empowerment International is a non-profit organization headquartered in Japan and Australia that generates donations to assist initiatives for individuals who have been forced to from their homes due to violence, war, or persecution. Projects that allow people to give back to their communities and contribute significantly to the local economy while also rebuilding their own future.

Second Harvest Japan

Second Harvest Japan is the local affiliate of the Second Harvest organization and its focus is on poverty and disaster relief through distribution of food and essential supplies to welfare agencies, orphanages, shelters, the homeless, and others in need. Volunteers generally serve 2.5 hour shifts in one of Second Harvest’s numerous operations, including food pick-up and delivery, food preparation, packaging of food for distribution, food drives, food distribution, and various office activities. Specifics of upcoming volunteer activities can be found on their event calendar.

Shine on Kids

Shine on Kids supports children with cancer / other serious illness in Japan and their families.

Tokyo Volunteer Action Network

Tokyo Volunteer Action Network promotes volunteerism in Tokyo and works with a variety of local community organizations to establish volunteer opportunities.

YouMeWe

YouMeWe is a Tokyo-based non-profit organization with over 10 years of experience building supporting relationships with local children's homes (orphanages). As they reach the age of 18 and prepare to leave the family - whether for university, technical school, or a new profession - they support children who are growing up in institutionalized homes in becoming totally capable and financially self-sufficient young adults.