OFIX NEWS
Osaka Foundation of International Exchange News

OFIX NEWS has been
distributed online andby email since Vol.101!

106

vol.

Oct 15, 2023

■	The opening of the “Language Support Desk fordisplaced persons from Ukraine”■	Interview with volunteers from the “Ukrainian Displaced
Persons Interpreter Support Human Resource Bank”

Use this QR code to register toreceive your copy online!
https://www.ofix.or.jp/english/archive/

Autumn of 2023

■	Activity Report
Official Character

Bora-chan■	Event Information,
Proverbs from different languages

The opening of the “Language Support Deskfor displaced persons from Ukraine”
In March 2022, the Osaka Foundation of International Exchange (OFIX) established the"One-Stop Consultation Service for Ukrainian Displaced Persons" to provide consultation
on daily life and other issues to Ukrainians to support them to adapt to cultural andlifestyle differences during their stay in Osaka. We also established a human resourcebank to provide interpreting and translation support to public organizations. This year
OFIX has opened the “Language Support Desk for displaced persons from Ukraine”
to provide support to displaced Ukrainians nationwide. Public entities
outside of Osaka Prefecture can use Ukrainian or Russian translationand interpretation services through the Support Desk.
Organizations
possible toapply• Local public organizations• International exchange associations• Public sector organizations supporting Ukrainians

Languageavailable

Ukrainian, Russian, English, JapaneseServices
Content

Interpretation and translation services for Public entities which support displaced
persons from Ukraine (for example Explanation regarding resident services and civic
services, etc.)

Available Hours

About the “Ukrainian Displaced Persons
Interpreter Support Human Resource Bank”
No. of volunteers *by August 2023

223 people

No. of cases in 2022 Fiscal Year47 casesNo. of volunteers participatedin 2022 Fiscal Year

68 people

Monday to Friday from 9:00am to 5:00pm*Except holidays and new years
1. Interpretation via phone *No prior reservation required
Please call from the municipal office, etc. with the presence of a displaced personfrom Ukraine. We will connect you to an interpreter on the spot and interpret for you.
Tel：070-3149-8387（for consultation only）

Ways of Apply

2. Interpretation via Online(ZOOM) ※Prior reservation required
Please apply by email in advance. We will arrange the possible dates and times forinterpretation. 
Email: ofixvolunteer@ofix.or.jp
3. Translation Servies *Please contact in advance
If you have any materials that you would like to translate into Ukrainian or Russian,please feel free to contact us to see if we can accommodate them.
Email: ofixvolunteer@ofix.or.jp

Staff responsible for the “Language Support Desk for displaced persons from Ukraine”
The Osaka Foundation of International Exchange (OFIX) organized the
Osaka Information Service for Foreign Residents and has been providing
a one-stop consultation service in Ukrainian and Russian. Utilizing thisknow-how, OFIX has now started to provide interpretation and translation
support to Ukrainian refugees on a nationwide level.
More than a year has already passed since people have evacuated from
Ukraine. I believe displaced persons from Ukraine are gradually expanding
their sphere of activity from securing a place to live to securing a morestable life and employment.

I myself, with my family, have lived in Russia, Germany, and other countries,
and I could not have done so without the support of the local government
and the people in my neighborhood. Now, in the opposite position, I would
like to return the favor in any way I can.
We are sure that the organizations concerned will continue to update theirsupport systems in a flexible manner to see what kind of support they canprovide in the future. We, OFIX, will also be here for the displaced people
from Ukraine and will continue to support them through interpretationand translation services.

Interview with volunteers from the “Ukrainian Displaced Persons
Interpreter Support Human Resource Bank”
In this issue, we interviewed two volunteers from the Human Resource Bank.
*Nicknames are being used. *Please note that interviews were conducted in Japanese, therefore the content may not reflect the interviewee's original intention perfectly.

Mir-san (from Japan)
Mir-san currently resides in Osaka Prefecture and has beenworking as a Russian interpreter and translator for many years.
She has studied in Russia and has traveled to Crimea, Ukraine.

Why did you decide to participate in OFIX activities?
For a long time now, I have been interpreting andtranslating as a job, not as a volunteer. Recently,
as a volunteer interpreter, I helped displaced
Ukrainians with procedures at government offices,such as setting up utilities and assisting children
with enrollment procedures and classes. So I
decided to participate in OFIX activities also.

What was it like when displaced Ukrainians first arrived inJapan?
Because of the state of emergency, Ukrainians who arrived in Japan often
looked for someone who could speak their language (Russian or Ukrainian)
and asked for help. Also, they had a lot of questions but they did not know
where to call, and since they did not have cell phones, it was very difficult
for them.

Are there any problems or difficulties that many Ukrainians
are facing?
Some Ukrainians do not speak English or Japanese, so one of the problems
they are having is how to get on the train. Since they cannot speak or readJapanese, they do not know which station to get off at and which train tochange to when they need to take a train for a short trip. This limits theirmobility. Also, Japanese documents have many kanji characters, and theyoften have trouble with understanding bills and government documents.
There is also the issue of health concerns and mental stress.

Is Ukraine's food culture quite different from Japan's?
Yes, it is. In the case of the Ukrainian families I know, they mainly eat
Ukrainian porridge and Ukrainian food. They have a culture of eating
bread, so they are not in the habit of eating rice. They buy ingredients fromJapanese supermarkets, like bread similar to black bread and beets, red
turnips for making borscht. One of the displaced people I know had trouble
ordering beets because they were expensive, but later he discovered the
local supermarket in front of the train station nearhis place sold beets and he was able to buy them.
Some Ukrainians in Japan have family members
and relatives still staying in Ukraine, so I heard they
send food from Japan to Ukraine, and their family
members also send grains and spices to Japan in
return.
A heartbreaking story is that six months ago, whenthe missile attacks were so intense that Ukraine
lost electric power, Ukrainians in Japan had to send
batteries to Ukraine. It was a really difficult situation
to hear. They had to send light bulbs and batteries
all the way from Japan because there were no suchsupplies in Ukraine.

Is there anything else you would like to share with our readers?
I think that the displaced people feel lonely. They have managed to live
and work in Japan and are getting used to life in Japan, but I feel thatin many cases they are only connected to their home country online andhave no friends they know in Japan. Another thing is that they wish to readbooks. Ukrainians who are not working, told us that they like to read books
when they have time at home. I gave picture books to the child, but insteadof the child, the parents ended up reading them (laughs). From there on
we started borrowing and lending books. If anyone has any Ukrainian or
Russian books at home, I think it would be great to collect those books andgather them in one place so that Ukrainians have a place to come and read.

Vita-san (from Ukraine)
Vita-san is a Ukrainian national who has lived in Osaka for many
years. When she was in junior high school, she saw a Ghibli movie
on TV and was fascinated by its unique worldview, so she started
studying Japanese. In her third year in university, she stayed in
Osaka as an exchange student. She returned to Ukraine once,
and then came back to Japan again for work.

What was the reason for you to register with the Human
Resources Bank?
I was originally working full-time at a Japanese company, but when the war
broke out in Ukraine, I decided to reduce my work schedule and participate
in volunteer activities in order to help Ukraine and those who had evacuatedfrom Ukraine in any way I could.

What kind of activities have you participated in since you
registered with the Human Resources Bank?
I mainly do translation, apart from that, I also check the content translated
by other volunteers. Recently, I also registered as an interpreter for the“Language Support Desk for displaced persons from Ukraine” and started
interpreting activities.

What kind of content do you usually translate?
We often translate information from the government and materials about
the education system for displaced people. For example, there werematerials introducing the characteristics of the Japanese education system
and what career paths are available after graduation from school.

Apart from OFIX, do you participate in any other support
activities for displaced persons from Ukraine?
The Ukrainian community in Japan is small, so many of us know eachother. When we have an event, we get calls inviting each other to help out.
Because of the war, even those who had been out of touch for a while havereconnected and started to cooperate together to plan things. For example,
we hold events to introduce Ukrainian culture and hold Ukrainian language
classes to let people know more about Ukraine. I believe that everyone isdoing what they can do and what they are good at wherever they are.

Are there any problems or difficulties that displaced
Ukrainians are facing?
I am sure that the displaced Ukrainians are experiencing a lot of stress as
they have to live in an unfamiliar place during an emotional time. Not tomention the pain and anxiety caused by the war going on in their homecountry. In addition, the language and culture are different, so the displaced
people have to face many difficulties every day.
Many people feel as if time stopped on February 24, 2022, the day the all-out
war began, but physical time has not stopped, and life goes on. Therefore, it
is not possible to just sit still and they have to work for a living. However, there
are many displaced people from Ukraine who have yet to find work in Japan.

What are the reasons you feel it is difficult for displaced
persons to find jobs in Japan? Is the language barrier oneof the reasons?
I think the language issue is a big one. There are also cultural differences.
Even if they are able to find a job, some of them have difficulty adjusting
to it. If they have an opportunity to learn about cultural differences andJapanese manners, they may be able to fit in more easily. Another problem
is that Ukrainians are staying in Japan as displaced people, so it is very
difficult for them to see how far they can aim for long-term employment
and how far ahead they can make plans for their lives.

What are the differences between the Ukrainian workplaceculture and the Japanese workplace culture?
This is my own experience, so I am not sure if it applies to everyone, butwhat I found difficult was the Ba-no-kuki（場の空気）[the situation of the
moment]. I feel that it was quite difficult because I have to guess and learn
to understand the situation by myself, and to act according to the situation.
Also, I think the Japanese “culture of not saying things directly" is also a
bit difficult for Ukrainians. Japanese often choose polite, soft words andexpressions and say things in a roundabout way, but in Ukraine we often
speak more directly and clearly, so that may also be difficult for Ukrainians
to get used to.

Is there anything else you would like to share?
Before the war, when I went to bookstores in Japan, I saw very few Ukrainerelated books. Even in large bookstores, there were often a few Ukrainianbooks together with Russian-related books on the shelves, and since thenI wished to change that situation somehow. I have the impression that the
war has triggered Ukrainians living in Japan to become more active inpromoting Ukrainian culture. A Ukrainian textbook has
been published recently, and I dream that many more
Ukrainian books and materials will be published in Japanin the future, and that one day there will one day be alarge Ukrainian section in bookstores.

Activity Report

What I want most now is for peace to return to Ukraine, but I would also
like to think positively about Ukraine's reconstruction and development in
the future.

Is the climate in Ukraine similar to that of Japan?
It is not similar. I think it is not only Osaka but Japan as a whole, humidity
is very high and the air is very wet, which I still cannot get used to. Summerin Ukraine can be hot at times, but it cools down quickly at night and theweather is comfortable.

What are the eating habits in Ukraine? Are they very
different from those in Japan?
In Ukraine, it is not customary to eat raw food, and seasonings are quite
different. For example, in Ukraine, people have a strong image that “sugar
is used for desserts”, but I was surprised to see that in Japan, sugar isadded to many dishes.

Is there any food that you could not eat when you lived in
Ukraine but you can now eat after coming to Japan?
I am able to eat most of the food now. When I was in Ukraine, I could notthink of eating food like octopus, but when I tried them, they were delicious.
I also love sushi and sashimi.

Presentation by Intern7.10［Mon］
9.20［Wed］ Plain Japanese Seminars

9.8［Thu］ from the Osaka Regional

Immigration Bureau

On July 10 (Mon), a seminar on Plain Japanese for administrative staff was heldwith the theme of promoting Plain Japanese and introducing case studies of efforts
to spread the usage of Plain Japanese.
In the first part, Ms. Kazuyo Higashida, Vice President of the International
Friendship Association of Kishiwada, and Ms. Reiko Nishimura, the Secretary Generalof the Association, introduced the booklet “Let’s Use Plain
Japanese”, ways of teaching Plain Japanese as well as how
they have cooperated with Kishiwada City.
In the second part, Ms. Eriko Asada, the Chief Senior
Staff of the International Affairs Division, Osaka Promotion
Bureau, Osaka Prefectural Government, introduced ways
they have been promoting Plain Japanese at the International Affairs Division.
On September 20(Wed), we held a Plain Japanese seminar at Nippon Petro Co., Ltd.
Through the introduction and practice of Plain Japanese language related to nursing
care, participants commented that they learned a great deal.

9.7［Thu］“Stories Helpful to Hear Before Hiring Foreign
Talent”

The “Stories Helpful to Hear Before Hiring Foreign Talent” seminar was held on
September 7(Thu) in-person and on ZOOM.
Mr. Keisuke Tomomori, a Supervising Examiner from the Immigration Services
Agency of Japan, Osaka Regional Immigration Bureau, held a lecture about thenecessary and basic knowledge about residence status when hiring foreign talent.
Three residents from abroad (from China, Korea, and Vietnam) shared their experiences of working in theirhome countries and in Japan as well.
Also present were representatives from the Osaka Foreigner Recruitment Support Center, who explained about theirservices to assist small and medium-sized companies with various issues related to the recruitment of foreign talent.

We have released a foreign exchangetransaction fraud alert video!

From August 24 ( Thu)
to September 8 (Fri), a
staff member of the Osaka
Regional Immigration Bureau
spent two weeks as anintern at OFIX. He visited various organizations andparticipated in OFIX events. On the last day of the
program, the intern gave a presentation about his
experience at OFIX and his future plans.

Training for providing
Language Support for9.22［Fri］
Displaced Persons
from Ukraine
On September 22(Fri),an online training session
was held for those whoare registered with the
Human Resource Bankand those who are interested in registering in the
future.
Ms. Haruka Sakuragi, the coordinator of the NPO
Kobe Foreigners Friendship Center (KFC), gave alecture on the current situation of Ukrainians in Japanand what to keep in mind as a volunteer. She also
spoke about the roles of community interpretationand interpreters.

If you are staying in Osaka and would like to consult about suspectedfraud or have any questions, please contact us below

Recently, there have been a number of foreign exchange transaction Osaka Information Service for Foreign Residents
frauds targeting foreign residents in Japan. We have released a (support 13 languages)
https://www.ofix.or.jp/life/english/
video alerting you to these frauds, so please take a look.

！

OFIX YouTube Channel "Beware of Foreign Exchange Trading Fraud!"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6F1TzOrytFg

Tel: 06-6941-2297
Email: jouhou-c@ofix.or.jp*Email consultation is only available in Japanese and English

10.22［Sun］ Asia Week 2023

Event
Information
Details will be posted on
the OFIX homepage soon.

11.5［Sun］ Shitennoji Wasso2023

Asia Week is a festival of international
exchange between the university and theregion, giving back to the region throughglobal expansion and campus creation
under the "Gateway in Asia" teaching
concept. Many events will be held suchas research reports, sports experience
projects, and Asian food stalls. OFIX will
have a booth, so please join us.

On the day of the event, the history of the friendship between
Japan and East Asia that took place in Osaka will be reenacted.
There will be dynamic performances by young people
expressing modern exchange. Let's enjoy Wasso together!
Theme: International Exchange in Ancient and Modern Times
Date: November 5(Sun), 2023, 10:00-16:00
Place: Naniwanomiya Park
(Houenzaka, Chuo-ku, Osaka City)
Free Participation! https://www.wasso.net/

Date and Time: October 22, 2023(Sun) 10:00-16:00
Place: Osaka Ibaraki Campus, Ritsumeikan University

Suita International Friendship Association (SIFA) 11.23［Thu・Holiday］ Friendship Festival
11.6［Mon］-11.16［Thu］ 10th Anniversary Ceremony
The International Friendship Festival will be held again thisInternational

year! Participate in various events and enjoy international
exchange!

As SIFA celebrates its 10th anniversary of its transaction to a Public Interest Incorporated
Association this year, SIFA will hold an exhibition of memorabilia and photographs related tointernational exchange from November 6(Mon) to November 16(Thu). In addition, on November
11(Sat), SIFA will hold a ceremony to commemorate the 10th anniversary. Please checkout SIFA’s homepage for details.

Date and Time: November 23, 2023(Thu•Holiday) 13:00~16:00
Place: The Japan Foundation Japanese-Language Institute, Kansai(3-14 Rinku-Port-Kita Tajiri-Cho Sennan-Gun, Osaka)
Free Participation!

https://suita-sifa.org/sifa/10th-anniversary/

Ukrainian

UyghurProverbs
from different
languagesВсюди добре, а вдома найкраще.
⇒There’s no place like home.

There may be many fun and interesting things
to do wherever you go, but nothing beats thehometown where you were born and raised,
the saying goes. It is fun to visit different places,
but your home, even
if it is ordinary, is themost comfortable andimportant place you
can be.

‫بۇغداې سۇزۇڭ يوكمۇ‬،‫غداي نىنىڭ بولمۇسىمۇ‬(bughday nening bolmisimu, boghday sözung yoqmu?)[Hint] The literal translation is: "Even if there
is no naan, are you saying that there is noteven a grain of wheat?"Let’s check out the proverbs in Ukrainian,
Uyghur and Cantonese below. The
meanings of Uyghur and Cantonese
proverbs will be showcased on OFIX's
Facebook and X(Twitter) later on, so be
sure to check them out!

Cantonese 偷雞不著蝕把米

[Hint] The literal translation is: "I couldn't steal thechickens and ended up wasting the rice.”

We are looking for supporting members!

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

https://www.ofix.or.jp/donate/◆ Provision of OFIX’s printed materials, reports and other publications
free of charge or on a priority basis

5Japanese page: 11,000 JPY banner/month

12

English page: 5,500 JPY banner/monthhttps://www.ofix.or.jp/english/banners/

For comments and suggestions, go to

Osaka Foundation of International Exchange (OFIX)

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