The Yokohama Association For International Communications and Exchange
The Yokohama Association For International Communications and Exchanges (YOKE) was founded in 1981. YOKE runs numerous programs for the internationalization of Yokohama city.
As of late July 2013 there are 74,611 people living in Yokohama city. 2.0% of the population are foreigners (have foreign passports), being 150 different nationalities. Chinese, Korean, Filipino, Brazilian, American, Vietnamese, Taiwanese, Indian, Thai, and Peruvian people take the majority of the nationalities in Yokohama city.
The major concept of YOKE is to respect and understand one different cultures and values, and to keep Yokohama city international, with its historical aspects and multicultural community. In order to do this, YOKE supports the citizens by helping with activities, providing resources, and promoting international cooperation.
An example of a program helping foreign citizens in Japan is providing information in foreign mother tongue languages. On the internet, YOKE shares news and other information in eight different languages: easy Japanese, Chinese, Spanish, Hangul, Portuguese, Indonesian, and Vietnamese.
YOKE also accepts counseling from foreign people living in Japan, in Japanese, English, Spanish, and Chinese, on the phone or face to face. People ask mainly about translations, daily life, learning Japanese, lounge business cooperation, health and medication, Procedures of residence and foreigner registration, education, welfare, domestic violence, laws, marriage, and divorce.
The programs of YOKE are supported by the Japanese government, citizen groups, nonprofit organizations and nongovernmental organizations, public organizations, schools, businesses, and volunteer citizens.
(Reported by Madoka Nishina)
① Walk across the Queen Mall Bridge, and when you find the entrance of Pacifico Yokohama, go rightwards.
② Walk towards the Conference Center.
③Walk through the first automatic door, then turn left. (The second automatic door (in the front) does not lead to YOKE.)
④Take the escalator of the Yokohama International Organizations Center to the 5th floor.
⑤ You have arrived at YOKE.
Participants
Madoka Nishina 10th Saint Maur International School
Karen Nishina 4th Saint Maur International School