Moyai Support Centre for Independent Living

日本語 English

We are here to support
your livelihood.

We are here to support
your food security.

We are here to support
your housing.

Our mission is to find
societal solutions
to poverty in Japan.

About "Moyai"

Moyai is an independent, not-for-profit Organization based in Tokyo, Japan, dedicated to supporting the homeless and underprivileged people start a new life in decent housing, and to achieving lasting solutions to poverty.

The double impact of poverty—financial deprivation and social isolation—hinders citizens living on the street, in parks, hospitals and other temporary shelters, from making a decent, self-sufficient living. Particularly symbolic of social isolation in Japan is the homeless people’s shared difficulty in finding a tenant guarantor.*

Moyai aims to overcome social exclusion by assuming legal obligations as a guarantor of those who seek new homes, and by empowering the communities of people with shared hardships and aspirations. Cooperating with partner Organizations with legal, medical, welfare and other expertise, Moyai supports the poverty-stricken people to recover their well-being, and to rebuild the sense of security and belonging in their new neighbourhoods.

We believe that being independent and self-sustaining (“jiritsu” in Japanese) does not mean to live in solitude, but to live as unique, independent individuals in relation to others, relying on one another when we are in trouble.

Our mission is to offer concrete support to the people who find themselves in destitute, and to realise a more inclusive and just society, where every person lives free from exclusion and poverty.

*In Japan, you need to have a guarantor when renting a flat. The guarantor owes the legal obligation to compensate for possible liabilities caused by the tenant, such as delayed rent. Finding a guarantor poses one of the biggest obstacles especially to the homeless and low-income people in Japan when moving into new homes.

What we do

Consultation &
Livelihoods Support Project Responding to Calls for Help

Moyai Helpline

Every Tuesday and Friday, Moyai Helpline is open for anyone in need of assistance with everyday essentials, housing, and financial hardships.

  • Open Hours:

    Tuesday 12 noon – 6:00 pm / Friday 11:00 am – 5:00 pm

  • Closed:

    National Holidays

  • Telephone:

    +81-(0)3-0363-0137

Consultation Day

Every Tuesday (11:00 am – 6:00 pm), Moyai office is open for anyone to visit and consult about homelessness and a range of poverty-related issues.

Supporting Access to Social Welfare

Moyai helps the people in need gain access to social welfare services, by offering advice on application procedures and by accompanying them to the administrative office when applying for the public assistance.

Housing Support Project Assisting a Fresh Start to Decent Living

Moyai undertakes the responsibility as the tenant guarantor and the emergency contact of the currently homeless citizens living on the streets, in parks, hospitals and other provisional accommodations, and helps them with a fresh start in adequate housing. Please consult us on the fees and conditions for the guarantor contracts.
We keep in touch with our clients after they settle in new homes, via post sent four times a year and by visiting them for personal conferences whenever necessary.

Community Empowerment
Project Overcoming Social Isolation

Community Events

To help prevent seclusion, especially after our clients settle in new homes, Moyai brings together the members of the peer support group “Moyai Musubi no Kai” and the wider community for luncheons, holiday outings, and other seasonal events.

Community Café and Intermediate Workplace

Moyai opens the community café “Salon de Café Komorebi,” which is open to everyone including people in homelessness.
We also provide intermediate works including coffee-roasting and farm working.

Advocacy & Proposals Project Making Changes to Politics and Society

Proposals to the Administrative Bodies

Moyai makes factual, up-to-date policy proposals to the decision-makers, the governing authorities, and other public institutions.

Awareness Raising

Moyai engages in raising social awareness of poverty and social exclusion, through daily updates on the website, issuance of the quarterly newsletter “Omoyai Tsu-shin,” and other advocacy campaigns. We also give lectures on the issues of poverty at schools and universities, and offers seminars open to the public and local communities.

Organization Profile

  • Name of the
    Organization

    Moyai Support Centre for Independent Living

  • Office
    Address

    2F Midori Building, 362 Yamabuki-Cho, Shinjuku-Ku, Tokyo 162-0801 Japan

  • TEL / FAX

    TEL: +81-(0)3-6265-0137 / FAX: +81-(0)3-6265-0307

  • Juridical
    Personality

    Founded as a private organization on May 17, 2001

    Certified by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government as a Specified Non-Profit Organization on March 25, 2003
    Registered as a Certified Non-Profit Organization on September 1, 2014

  • Board of
    Trustees

    • Chairperson:Ren Ohnishi
    • Vice-Chair:Tsuyoshi Ikeza
    • Vice-Chair:Aki Matsuyama
    • Trustee:Azusa Kuroiwa
    • Auditor:Reiko Mori
    • Auditor:Hiroaki Ishii
    • Secretary
      General:      Ayumi Kato
    • *as of April 2020

History

  • 2001 May

    Founded as a private sector organization Moyai, and started the peer support group “Moyai Musubi no Kai”

  • 2001 December

    Started free consulting service at 'Space Kabosu' (Shinjuku)

  • 2003 April

    Obtained the Specified Non-Profit Organization status as Moyai Support Centre for Independent Living

  • 2004 April

    Moved and opened the new office “Komorebi” in Shinjuku, Tokyo

  • 2004 June

    Opened the community café “Salon de Café Komorebi”

  • 2006 September

    Opened the women’s space “Green Necklace” (closed in March 2020)

  • 2007 January

    Launched the social business of fair trade, home-roasted “Komorebi Coffee”

  • 2007 September

    Opened the youth activity space “Drop-in Komorebi”, succeeded by "Lantern Bearer Komorebi" which was closed in July 2019

  • 2014 September

    Incorporated as a Certified Non-Profit Organization, registered by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government

  • 2015 February

    Launched “Basic Seminar on Poverty” (annual seminar)

  • 2015 March

    Published “Lecture Manual on Poverty”

  • 2016-2019

    Seminar on 'Learning and Teaching' Poverty

  • 2016 May

    Exhibition of 'Homeless Bed' in G7 Summit in Iseshima

  • 2017 Feburary

    Published "Lecture Book for Teaching Poverty"

  • 2017 March

    Moved to 'Midori Building' (Shinjuku)

  • 2018 February

    Published “A New Horizon of Poverty Problems”

  • 2018 April

    Launched “Sumai-Musubi Programme” (real estate brokeage)

  • 2020 April

    Strenthened the consultation service in response to the spread of coronavirus

  • 2021 May

    Launched online consultation and support service COMPASS

  • 2021 June

    Chairperson Ohnishi assumed office of Special Adviser to The Office for Policy on Loneliness and Isolation, Cabinet Secretariat

  • 2022 February

    Started online shop of "Moyai Coffee"

  • 2023 December

    Started "Interactive Food Pantry"

  • 2024 June

    Started "Moyai Café: Round Table on Poverty"

  • 2024 June

    Chairperson Ohnishi assumed office of Special Promotion Adviser to Policy on Loneliness and Isolation, Cabinet

Contact us