OFIX NEWS
Osaka Foundation of International Exchange News

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Winter of 2024

107

vol.

January 15, 2024■N ew Year’s Message by OFIX Chairman■A ctivity Report■C rossword Game
Official Character■C onsultation Information, Renewal of OFIX
Homepage

Bora-chan

Osaka Foundation of International Exchange

New Year’s Message by OFIX Chairman

Hidetaka Yoshikawa, Chairman

Happy New Year!
We would like to express our deepest gratitude for yourcontinued understanding and cooperation in our Foundation’soperations.
Looking back on last year, I wonder if “heat” will be one ofthe themes. The countdown to Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, hasbegun, and fiery excitement is growing. Looking around theworld, there have been reports of abnormal heat in terms of
weather and the environment, and we still remember the heatedbattles that took place in the WBC Baseball Championship andthe Rugby World Cup.
On the other hand, as the global spread of the novel coronavirus
has subsided, foreign visitors to Japan are now viewing Japan asthe "hot" country to visit. Against this background, companies,
educational institutions, and government agencies are putting
considerable effort into acquiring international students andforeign workers.
Similarly, as we consider the news and events that transcend
Japan’s borders along with the increasing number of foreigners

visiting Japan, we also need toconsider our response to thegrowing diversity of foreigners’
origins and reasons for visiting
Japan. There may need to be a shift
from the way we focused on just
numbers before the COVID-19 pandemic, to a cooled conscious
focus on the quality of our response to foreigners. I think thiswould look like changing the goal from viewing foreign residents
as “the neighbor I should love” to “the roommate I love”.
Under our new mid-term management plan, our foundation
aims to realize a multicultural society, and we will fulfill our roleso that foreign residents can live a safe, secure, and comfortable
life with “Osaka as their home”.
This year, the Year of the Dragon, is said to be the yearof taking shape after growth, and this year marks the 35th
anniversary of OFIX’s establishment. We would like to build
on our past activities and further refine them, so we ask for yourcontinued understanding and tremendous support.

Happy New Year! I am Sabina, a former OFIX employee. I enjoy
drawing illustrations when I need to concentrate or when I want
to give shape to an idea I have in my head. 2024’s Chinese zodiac
sign “Dragon”, is often depicted as a scary figure in movies, but inChina it has long been a symbol of good luck, power, and health. I
wish you all a happy New Year of the Dragon, filled with good luck,power, and health.

Activity Report
9.30

［Sat］

Orion International House Party

On September 30 (Sat), a dormitory
student exchange party organizedby the tutors of Orion International
House was held, and many dormitory
students attended and had a goodtime! We have compiled a video of theday's events. Please take a look!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSQhgwVcOcs

12.17

［Sun］

Orion International House
Community Exchange

On December 17 (Sun), we held a community exchange event atOrion International House! The Kenrokai [健朗会] and local residents
attended and had a great time with events such as musical instrument
performances, an exhibition of ethnic costumes, a dinner party, and acalligraphy experience.

10.13
［Fri］

Plain Japanese Language
Training Session

On October 13 (Fri), “Plain Japanese Training” was included as part of
the Osaka Prefecture Housing Supply Corporation’s staff training. Plain
Japanese training was provided to people in various occupations suchas management, clerical, and technical positions.
This time, we have invited Mr. Takeshi Fukui, a lecturer from Kobe
YWCA, to teach participants how to convey various phrases in Plain
Japanese, starting with “What is Plain Japanese?” and “What iscommunication?” The lecture
was organized like a quiz gamewhere the participants could
learn as they figured out theanswers.
Including those who watched thearchived videos, approximately
180 people joined the session.

10.22

［Sun］

Asia Week

On October 22 (Sun), the international
exchange festival “Asia Week” washeld at Ritsumeikan University, andOFIX also ran a booth. With the helpof supporters from Peru, China, thePhilippines, and South Korea, wewere able to have fun interactingwith the participants through foreign
language quizzes and games.

11.23

［Thu］

InternationalFriendship Festival

The 24th International Friendship
Festival was held on November 23 (Thu)at the The Japan Foundation JapaneseLanguage Institute, Kansai. At the OFIX booth, we introduced the very
popular Filipino martial art, Arnis, last year, and many people tried itout. Also, this year, a Cuban supporter participated for the first timeand introduced Cuban dominos. Both children and adults had fun
playing with the special rule of matching dominoes together with thesame number instead of knocking them over.

12.3［Sun］Enjoy International Foods at Danchi!
Multicultural Understanding andExchange Across Borders

On December 3 (Sun), a multicultural
exchange event was held at ShodaiDanchi. This event was organizedwith the Osaka Prefectural Housing
Corporation and HANEI Company.
It was packed with activities for thediverse backgrounds that make up the residents of the housing
complex, including quizzes on life in Osaka and tasting food fromvarious countries. It was a fun time for all participants to experience
multiculturalism.

This is a crossword themed around year-end events, newyear events, and customs from all over the world! Please
give it a try! The answers will be posted on the OFIX website
by the end of February.
２↓1 Ainu word for “new” or “New Year”
2 The name of the first month of the Islamic calendar
3 The Japanese word［旧正月］means “● New Year”
4 On New Year’s Eve, Japanese
temples will ring the ● 108times as custom.

1→ A

4↓

K

5→

E

5 Noodles that the Japanese usually
eat on New Year's Eve.

M

6 Hebrew word for “Have a Happy
New Year”

A3→

9↓

S

11↓

7 Name of the Ukrainian New Year’sFestival

6→8↓

HI

8 A cuisine that is usually eaten during
Christmas time in America.

T10→

E

9 The name of the Japanesetraditional custom forvisiting a Japanese shrineor temple for the firsttime in the New Year.

7↓

16↓

13↓

12→

15→

14→

18↓
17→

10 In Spain, there is a custom of eating ● grapes on
New Year's Eve.
11 One of the common countdown events aroundthe world
12 The name of Thai New Year Festival
13 During Chinese New Year, people will give out ●envelopes as gifts with money inside.
14 The zodiac animal for 2024
15 The name of Korean soup dish eaten during New
Year's time.
16 ● is a traditional Japanese verbal entertainmentof storytelling.
17 The city OFIX is located in
18 “New Year’s” in Japanese1.14［Sun］One-day Information Service for 2.17［Sat］One-Day Divorce Consultation

FREE!

Foreign Residents

Consultation
Information

Hotline for Foreigners• Consultation Topics: Law, humanrights, immigration/residence (visa),
labor, work, life, medical care, healthinsurance, education, etc.
• Place: Osaka International House 2/F• Time: 13:00 – 17:00

Here are the consultation
sessions from January toFebruary. Please see theOFIX homepage for details.

• Consultation Topics: Divorce, worries about yourrelationship with your husband/wife, visa issues, etc.
• Consultation Method: In-person, Phone, Online• Place: Osaka Bar Association• Time: 10:30 – 16:30

1.20［Sat］Free Legal Consultation for Specialist Consultation for 
Foreign Residents (OFIX)

Foreign Residents

11 languages available! You may consult in-person,
online or by phone.

• Consultation Topics: Law, daily life consultation• Place: Tondabayashi Intercultural Communication
Center• Time: 13:00 – 16:00

Reservation/Contact: 06-6941-2297 jouhou-c@ofix.or.jp
1. Labor Consultation• Date: January 15 (Mon), January 29 (Mon)• Time: 13:30 – 17:15
2. Immigration Consultation• Date: January 24 (Wed)• Time: 13:30 – 17:00
3. Legal Consultation• Date: January 28 (Sun)• Time: 13:30 – 16:30
4. Therapeutic Consultation [NEW]• OFIX has started offering a therapeutic counselingservice with a certified clinical psychologist. We arehere for you, please feel free to call in.
• First time: January 19 (Fri), 16:30 – 19:30• Second time: March 10 (Sun), 13:30 – 16:30
※It is advised to come to our office directly forconsultation. If you wish to consult online or byphone, please let us know beforehand.

1.27［Sat］Consultation Service Day for Renewal of
OFIX Homepage

Foreign Residents in Higashiosaka• Consultation Topics: Consultation on laws, visas/naturalization, pensions/social insurance, municipal
and prefectural tax, national health insurance, childallowance/child rearing allowance, and provision of
information on daily life, etc.
• Place: Multicultural Information Plaza• Time: 9:00 – 12:00

OFIX's homepage isunder renewal andscheduled to reopenin April 2024. For more
information, pleasecheck OFIX homepage

2.3［Sat］ Moriguchi City Consultation forand SNS(Facebook,Foreign Residents

X).

• Consultation Topics: Status of residence, life, national
health insurance, national pension, labor, human rights• Place: Moriguchi City Office 1/F, Conference Rooms
101-102• Time: 11:00 – 14:00

We are looking for supporting members!

AccessAnnual membership: 50,000 yen for corporate members,
3,000 yen for individual members

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