Since the mid-1980s, many people from East Asia, Southeast Asia, and South Asia have come to Japan for study or work. One Japanese person met several Bangladeshi people at a public bath and, as they became friends, learned that they were struggling with problems in their daily lives and discrimination. This prompted the founding of the ASIAN PEOPLE'S FRIENDSHIP SOCIETY (APFS) in 1987 as a mutual aid organization with the goal of "living together while helping each other."

Rather than Japanese people unilaterally helping "poor foreigners," we have aimed to build a society where people can live together by helping each other. To date, we have more than 3,800 members from 30 countries. In addition to Japan, members from four other countries, Bangladesh, the Philippines, Iran, and Burma, are on the board of directors and are actively involved in our activities. On July 14, 2010, we obtained corporate status (a specified non-profit corporation). We will continue to work hard to develop our organization further while inheriting our philosophy.