Where We Call Home

The number of people who've chosen Japan to be their new home reached the highest in history in 2019, exceeding 2.8 million. They bring new color to the country, yet many foreigners struggle to fit in. This program offers a glimpse into th…

"Little India" in Tokyo's Edogawa Ward is a community of about 4,000 Indian nationals first established about 20 years ago. However, they have little connection with Japanese locals and are seen mostly as outsiders. Puranik Yogendra, on wh…

Neighborhood relations, childcare, PTA: in Japan, issues that involve women are plenty and part of everyday routine. But for women from abroad, they can be obstacles to adapting to life in Japan. Nina Hakkarainen, a Kyoto-based Finnish wom…

Japan is the world's third largest economy yet its poverty rate is high, with one out of 7 children living below the threshold. Having witnessed this reality, Ghana-native Tony Justice founded a soup kitchen offering free meals to kids. Bu…

The city of Toyota in Aichi Prefecture is home to some 18,000 foreigners, mainly Latin Americans of Japanese descent. We follow one of them: Keiko Uezu from Peru, who works as a caregiver assisting non-Japanese elderly and disabled people …

Struggling with depopulation and a dwindling farming industry, Akitakata City in Hiroshima Prefecture has been encouraging foreigners to settle down in the area. Among them is Leonel David Maia from East Timor. Training under a veteran far…

The coronavirus is shaking the world, and Japan is no exception with over 10,000 infected cases nationwide. The country is in a state of emergency - people are asked to stay home and a lot of businesses are closed. Most non-Japanese are un…

Like in the rest of the world, the coronavirus is disrupting life in Japan. As businesses shift to telecommuting or temporarily closed, foreigners working in Japan are also affected. Join us as we contact some of the people we previously m…

Chinese nationals make up about 30% of foreigners in Japan. Among the younger generations of Chinese living here, starting a business has become a trend in recent years. But with the coronavirus outbreak, many risk having to close up shop.…

A month after the state of emergency was lifted in Japan, we focus on 3 foreigners in the restaurant industry fighting for financial recovery. To save her Szechuan eatery, Aya Wu from China started takeout and delivery services. Ricardo Ko…

The entertainment business in Japan has been dealt a heavy blow by the coronavirus pandemic. Join us as we look at the lives of 3 foreigners working in the industry fighting to survive the crisis: Fiona Graham - an Australian who's been wo…

The coronavirus outbreak has taken a heavy toll on businesses that cater to tourists visiting Japan from overseas. From the English-born organizer of countryside tours in Oita Prefecture to a caterer from Thailand working in Hokkaido Prefe…

This episode takes us to the Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa Prefecture where we visit an inn run by Australian-born Benjamin Flatt and his Japanese wife Chikako. The secret to the inn's popularity is the couple's tasty cuisine made possible by…

On this episode, we follow Mali-born Oussouby Sacko, who has been the president of Kyoto Seika University for the past 2 years. He's been devoting himself to fostering interchanges between Japanese students and those from abroad who've bee…

Yokohama is home to Japan's biggest Chinatown. The neighborhood has survived war and disaster over the course of its long history. Now it's known as a culinary hotspot, attracting about 20 million visitors every year. But the coronavirus h…

On this episode: a taste of sweetness with traditional confections, or "wagashi," prepared at a 200-year-old shop in Kumamoto City. Training under the 7th generation owner is his son-in-law, Mexican-born Saul Garcia Torres. Join us as we s…

This episode focuses on Vietnam-born Do Van Tuan, chairman of the Sendai Vietnamese Association. As the coronavirus pandemic continues to rage on, he decided to roll up his sleeves and come to the aid of other Vietnamese in the area who lo…

One of the issues many foreigners face when they come to live in Japan involves looking for an apartment. Intimidated by the language barrier, property owners often refuse to rent to non-Japanese for fear of not being able to communicate s…

On this episode, we meet manga creator René Hoshino from Cameroon who's been living in Japan since childhood after his mother remarried to a Japanese national. Growing up, he has often been the target of prejudice and discrimination, but u…

On this episode, we visit a coriander farm in Bando, Ibaraki Prefecture run by Thai-native Satapon Sukhanonchanapa and his wife Sysaath Seginthisack from Laos. In 10 years, what started as a hobby has grown into a highly profitable busines…

The former village of Oguchi in Ishikawa Prefecture was home to a 400-year-old wood weaving technique using Japanese cypress. Today, with the region's ongoing depopulation, the craft is threatened to disappear. We follow Australian Susan M…

This episode takes us to the rural community of Kito in Tokushima Prefecture. While its population of around 1,000 is on the decline, a newcomer, Tyler Walkey from the US, is helping to breathe new life to the area. A talented video conten…

On this episode, we meet Nigerian-native Chris Andrews, who runs a small shop in Saitama Prefecture's Koshigaya City. Open 365 days a year, Chris's business is a gathering spot and a source of moral support for the local Nigerian community…

On this episode, we visit American-born Janie Ikegami who grows apples in Nagano Prefecture. Wishing to recreate the taste she loved growing up in her Texas home, Janie also began using her apples to make sauce and butter, which were unfam…