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apfseditor 
On Saturday, January 21st and Sunday, January 22nd, 2017, from 12:00 to 17:00, APFS operated a "Foreigner Consultation Hotline."
APFS counselors, lawyers, and interpreters for English, Nepali, Tagalog and Chinese huddled around three phones to offer advice to callers.
On Saturday, January 21st, we received 19 calls. Of these, 13 were from Nepalese nationals. Two were from Iranian nationals, and one each from the United States, the Philippines, Cameroon, and Peru. Most of the calls were about labor issues, with many questions about industrial accidents, unpaid wages, and unfair dismissals. Other than labor issues, we received calls about permanent residency, re-entry procedures, pensions, international marriages, and traffic accidents. We also received a consultation about visitation rights with children after divorce.
On Sunday the 22nd, we received 13 calls. Of these, 11 were from Nepalese nationals, but we also had calls from Filipino and Korean nationals. We received consultations on a variety of issues, but most of the consultations were about residence status. There were many inquiries about the "skilled worker" residence status, and questions about the conditions and application procedures for that status. We also received calls about permanent residency, extensions and changes to residence status, and refugee applications.
In addition to issues regarding residence status, I also received consultations regarding labor issues. Some people were unable to pay their rent due to unpaid wages, and some were facing issues of unfair dismissal. I also received a call from someone who had overstayed their visa and was wondering what they could do as an undocumented resident.
Calls came from all over Japan, from Fukuoka to Gunma and Miyagi. The APFS hotline team not only provided the necessary information, but also introduced local foreigner consultation desks and legal consultation centers. For those who live within reach of the APFS office in Tokyo, we are also creating an environment in which we can invite them to come directly in the near future so that we can provide one-on-one support.
The population of Nepalese nationals has been increasing rapidly in recent years. This trend was evident in the current hotline. The Nepalese interpreters worked quickly to answer one call after another. In some cases, callers had to wait. This once again highlighted the importance of providing a hotline in foreigners' native language. We have already received requests from outside for a Vietnamese version.
Combined with December, we responded to 74 inquiries over a total of four days.
It was also an opportunity for the organization to reaffirm its purpose, which is to provide support to those who do not know how to solve their problems and to work together to create a path to solving those problems.