We are providing support to displaced Ukrainian citizens in Saitama City. For Ukrainian, see here (Google Translate).

Table of Contents

• Procedures
• Housing
• Daily Living
• Child Rearing
• Employment
• Education and Schools
• Health Insurance
• Donations

Procedures

Status of residence

Those who have entered Japan from Ukraine with a “Temporary Visitor” status of residence and those planning to enter Japan are able to apply for a 1-year “Designated Activities” status through The Immigration Services Agency of Japan. The “Designated Activities” status of residence allows the holder to seek employment.

To apply, please visit the consultation window at the following location:
Saitama Branch Office, Tokyo Regional Immigration Services Bureau
Saitama Second Legal Affairs Joint Government Bldg. 1F

5-12-1 Shimo-ochiai, Chuo-ku, Saitama City, Saitama Prefecture 338-0002 (map)
TEL: 048-851-9671
Hours: 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. (closed weekends and holidays)

Filing for a change of status of residence

The Gyoseishoshi Association of Saitama Prefecture can help you file for a change in status of residences (fees for national revenue stamps, etc. may apply)
For more information, please contact the consultation window at the following location.
Gyoseishoshi (Administrative Scrivener) Association of Saitama Prefecture
TEL: 048-833-0900
Hours: 9 a.m.-4 p.m. (closed weekends and holidays)

Housing

Municipal Housing

Ukrainian evacuees are eligible to receive temporary residence in municipal housing. For details, please contact the Housing Policy Division.

Inquiries
Housing Policy Division
TEL 048-829-1521
※Please make inquiries in Japanese 

 Daily Living

(1) Daily Living Consultation Desk 

1. The International Exchange Center, Saitama Tourism and International Relations Bureau （Map）
Hours：Monday-Thursday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., excluding federal and institutional holidays
Consultation Topics：Consultation on topics such as daily life, housing, education, and work is available in both Ukrainian and Russian.
To Receive Consultation ：Services are available over the phone at (048-887-1506) or in person. Please contact us by e-mail at iec@stib.jp if you plan to participate.
Reception Hours：Monday-Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (Closed on Sundays and national public holidays)

We are currently seeking volunteers for interpretation and translation!　
Click here to learn more.

2. Foreign Residents Support Center (FRESC)

FRESC Help Desk
Reception Hours：Monday-Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m
                             Saturdays, Sundays, and national public holidays, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m
TEL 048-829-1521  (Toll-free)
*International and VoIP calls should be made to +81-3-5363-3042 (fees apply).

Services are available in the following 20 languages:
Easy Japanese, українська мова (Ukrainian), Русский (Russian), English, 中文 (Traditional, Simplified Chinese), 코리언 (Korean), Español (Spanish), Português (Portuguese), Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese), नेपाली भाषा (Nepalese), ภาษาไทย (Thai), Bahasa Indonesia (Indonesian), Tagalog, မြန်မာဘာသာစကား (Burmese), ភាសាខ្មែរ (Kmher), Монгол (Mongolian), Français (French), සිංහල (Sinhala), اردو (Urdu),　বাংলা (Bengali)

(2) Japanese Language Resources

1. Japanese language classes
There are various volunteer-led Japanese language classes held in Saitama City.
See here for more information.

2. Japanese Language School (UIEC)
The Urawa International Education Center (UIEC) is offering support and Japanese language lessons to displaced Ukrainian citizens.
https://uiec.jp/en/

If you’d like to participate, please contact the Saitama City Tourism and International Exchange Division.
TEL: 048-829-1236
Email: kanko-kokusai@city.saitama.lg.jp

3. International Exchange Fund  The Japan Foundation
The online resource for Japanese language study “Irodori: Japanese for Life in Japan” is now available in Ukrainian.
This resource teaches the basic Japanese skills needed for life in Japan.
https://www.irodori.jpf.go.jp/ua/

(3) Financial and Tangible Support

1. Businesses in Saitama City

Our thanks to the following companies in Saitama City for their generous show of support, details of which are listed below.

【Rogers, a subsidiary of Hokushin-Shouji Co. Ltd. 】  
(1) Temporary Financial Support: A one-time payment of ￥150,000 to 40 households.
(2) Household Goods:
・Packages with food and daily necessities valued at ￥100,000 to 20 families living in municipal housing.
・Mykai gift cards valued at ￥100,000 for 20 households with other living situations.

【Sakuraya’s Saitama Omiya Store】
・Backpacks and student uniforms

【Musashi Building Cleaner Co. Ltd.】
・Toilet paper and trash bags

【Miki-yoso】
・Free rental of school uniforms, gym clothes, and slippers. Attendees of Sakae Elem. Sch., Omiya-Nishi Elem. Sch., Sashiogi Elem. Sch., Mamiya J.H. Sch., Sashiogi J.H. Sch., and Tsuchiya J.H. Sch. may receive these items as a donation.
・Mending of uniforms, etc. (also available for items from organizations outside of the school district)

【Denkichi Co. Ltd.】 
The donation of household appliances to displaced Ukrainian citizens living in municipal housing.
(1) Single-person sets of household appliances valued at ￥160,000 to 10 individuals.
(2) Family-size sets of household appliances valued ￥340,000 to 10 individuals.

If you’d like to participate, please contact the Saitama City Tourism and International Exchange Division.
TEL: 048-829-1236
Email: kanko-kokusai@city.saitama.lg.jp

We’d like to express our gratitude to the following for their past support:

・Our thanks to the Rotary International District 2270 First Group of 2021-2022 (Urawa Rotary Club, Urawa-East Rotary Club, Urawa-South Rotary Club, Urawa-Naka Rotary Club, and Urawa-Diamond Rotary Club) for their generous financial support of displaced Ukrainian citizens, which totaled to ￥120,000.  

・Our thanks to the District 2270 Rotary Club of Urawa for their generous financial support of displaced Ukrainian citizens, which totaled to ￥200,000.

・Our thanks to the Rotary International District 2270 Third Group  (Omiya Rotary Club, Omiya-South Rotary Club, Omiya-Chuo  Rotary Club, Omiya-City Rotary Club, Saitama-Keyaki Rotary Club,and the Saitama-Ozora Rotary Club) for their generous financial support of displaced Ukrainian citizens, which totaled to ￥700,000.  

・Our thanks to Omiya Bonsai Village’s Toju-en for their contribution of a free bonsai workshop to Ukrainian refugees. (※ Applications closed)

・Our thanks to Docomo CS Inc.’s Saitama Branch
(1)   Loan of smartphones free of charge
(2)   Loan of mobile routers free of charge
(3)　Free use of the “Hanashite Honyaku” translation/interpretation app

 2. The Nippon Foundation *(this resource is only available to displaced Ukrainian citizens with acquaintances who live in Japan)　※This support program is no longer available  
The Nippon Foundation is offering financial support to displaced Ukrainian citizens in the form of transport, household, and daily living expenses.
(1)Transport to Japan (Plane ticket fees, etc.)

・Those who have already arrived in Japan or purchased an airplane ticket are eligible to receive reimbursement on their out-of-pocket travel expenses (limited to ￥300,000 per person).
・Those who have yet to purchase an airplane ticket are eligible to receive an electronic airplane ticket and funds for domestic transport in Japan.

(2)Living Expenses
Benefit amount: ￥1,000,000 per year per person (limited to ￥3,000,000 per family per year). *This benefit will be offered for three years. Reapplication is required to receive the benefit in the 2^nd and 3^rd year.

(3)Household Expenses (Furniture, Electronics, etc.)
Benefit amount: ￥500,000 per home (flat rate)
*This benefit is intended for new tenants of public housing. Please use these funds for the purchase of furniture, electronics, and daily necessities. See here for application details. 

 3. The Saitama Prefecture Social Welfare Council　 ※This support program is no longer available  
The Saitama Prefecture Social Welfare Council offers an Emergency Livelihood Assistance Payment to displaced Ukrainian citizens in Saitama Prefecture.
Benefit amount: ￥50,000 per person (one-time only)

Child Rearing

An announcement on childcare services from the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare can be found here.
For information regarding everyday life in Saitama City, see here.

Education and Schools

Please view the following resources from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology:

 Guidebook for Starting School

 Highschool Tuition Aid

 Financial Aid for Education Expenses System

Elementary and middle school enrollment

Foreign residents of Saitama City are eligible to attend municipal elementary and middle schools.

 ※ Includes unregistered residents (those who have not updated their certificate of residence with an address in Saitama City) without a residence card or special permanent resident certificate.

See here for more information.

Employment

For a list of multilingual consultation services for foreign workers, see here.

  Health Insurance

For information regarding everyday life in Saitama City, see here.

Donations

Financial Aid and the Humanitarian Crisis in Ukraine

Financial relief donation boxes can be found in the International Exchange Center of the Saitama Tourism and International Relations Bureau, as well as every ward office. Donations will be sent to the Japanese Red Cross Society.
There, they will be used to support relief efforts organized by institutions such as the International Red Cross Society. Those efforts include humanitarian crisis management in Ukraine and those countries neighboring it that have opened their borders to evacuees.  

Support from businesses, organizations, etc.

Businesses and other organizations in Saitama City wishing to provide support to Ukrainian evacuees should contact the Tourism and International Exchange Division.
Tourism and International Exchange Division
TEL: 048-829-1236
Email: kanko-kokusai@city.saitama.lg.jp

Information for Ukrainians Residing in Japan

Support information for Ukrainians Residing in Japan is available on the Immigration Services Agency of Japan website. Available in Japanese, English, Ukrainian, and Russian.

Website: Immigration Services Agency of Japan

Interpretation and Consultation Services for Ukrainian Refugees (via the Nippon Foundation)

・Eligibility: This service is for Ukrainian refugees and those supporting them (e.g. personal references, NPOs, people with ties to local governments, school, education, etc.)
・TEL： 050-5806-9641　
・Availability: 8 a.m.-8 p.m. JST
・Languages: Japanese, Ukrainian, Russian
・Services： (1) Interpretation (for refugees and those supporting them) 
                   (2) Daily Life Consultation (for refugees)
・URL： https://www.press-osi.com/report/20220405/