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Creating a stable today opens future for children.

A place for children taking on  various challenges

A safe place for area children.

Where they can be themselves.  Where they can laugh and cry.

Spending time with children  gives us strength.

Giving back,  to the children, from us.  Giving the strength to survive.

Community Center, Minoo Base staff  Ms. Maiko Hirose

1 in 7 children in Japan
live in poverty

The Shift in Japan's Childhood Poverty Rates

To free children from the chains of poverty…

"Relative poverty" refers to situations where families have less than half of the average household disposable income. 1 in 7 children in Japan live in relative poverty, 10th highest among OECD countries. In Japan, where out-of-school education such as cram schools and lessons thrive, poverty leads to educational disparities, and children raised in poor families tend to find lower-paying jobs.. What can we do now to end the cycle of poverty and give every child an equal opportunity?

What is The Nippon Foundation
Kids Support Project?

Supporting Young Adults Raised in Foster care Facilities, Supporting Seriously ill children, Addressing child poverty, Happy Yurikago Project, Rocket Project for talented children, Helping Children Thrive Project

Through the help of your donations, we connect children to the future of society.

The Nippon Foundation supports children living with a variety of difficulties, including poverty, unstable family environments, and seriously ill. The Nippon Foundation is responsible for relaying the thoughts of our donors.

Creating opportunities and
better environments
for economically
disadvantaged children

A safe place for  area children

Warm food / A safe place to stay / Educational support / Stability / Reading activities

We create safe places for children whose families do not have the same economic resources as other families in order to help those children grow up to become independent adults. We also provide the knowledge and skills necessary to thrive in society. We are working with NPOs to create a society where everyone carries part of the burden of raising children, eliminating the chains of poverty.

  • Naruto City, Tokushima Prefecture base — open since August 2019. Picture shows books and toys available along with a fun atmosphere.

  • Okinawa Prefecture, which has the highest child poverty rate in Japan, has two bases in Uruma City. Picture shows a large space where children can relax and enjoy themselves.

  • Various lectures from local volunteers are given at the base in Karatsu City, Saga Prefecture. The picture shows people playing in English-learning card games.

Comments from  community center  staff

  • While it would be overly harsh to say that these children are at fault, they need a lot of help that schools cannot provide. Their families face a multitude of difficulties. Hopefully, the center can alleviate some of those pressures.

    Minoo City, Osaka
    Prefecture - Minoo Base's

    Masashi Yamamoto

  • There are after school programs, but kids need a safe place to go that provides a homelike atmosphere, where they have the freedom to express their feelings. We'd like to make Minoo into that kind of place and hopefully help them become the type of person that can successfully interact with others in society.

    Minoo City, Osaka
    Prefecture - Minoo Base's

    Mieko Hirose

What We Need from You

The Nippon Foundation uses your donations to support children.

Donations → Community Center Facilities Local NPO Cooperation → Children

The Nippon Foundation plans to construct 100 community centers nationwide and operate them in cooperation with local NPOs. The cost to build a single center ranges from ¥20–50 million with annual operating costs between ¥20–30 million. All donations will be used for community center activities. We need your help now to provide opportunities to economically disadvantaged children and a safe place for them to grow up.

View more information about addressing child poverty.