Osaka International House Foundation

What Osaka International House Foundation does

Osaka International House Foundation (大阪国際交流センター) is a public interest incorporated foundation established by the City of Osaka in 1987 to serve as the focal point for citizen-level international exchange, mutual understanding, and multicultural cooperation in the Kansai region. Its core function is operating a multilingual service hub for foreign residents in Osaka: an Information Center providing face-to-face and referral consultations on legal, visa, employment, healthcare, education, tax, childcare, and daily-living matters; a portfolio of Japanese language courses (Life Japanese, Practical Japanese for Work, Mirai, Online General, Kotoba no Hiroba for children, and Online Levels 1/2) delivered on-site and via Zoom; the Multilingual Disaster Support Center, which publishes disaster preparedness guides in 10 languages and maintains a volunteer interpreter/translator deployment network; and an international student support program that runs a student mail magazine, supporter network, and venues partner-hosted JASSO study abroad fairs. Additional programs include a preschool and education support network for children with foreign roots, a Volunteer Bank, the Tatsujin Foreign Community Collaboration Program, the Local International Human Resource Training Course, and recurring events such as the One World Festival and I-House de Multicultural Experience.

The technology backbone is a conventional multilingual web platform rather than a custom software product: six-language website properties (Japanese, English, Korean, Chinese, Filipino, Vietnamese), a dedicated I-house Multicultural Exchange Platform at osaka-ihouse.net for community engagement and video content, multilingual email newsletters (Japanese, English, Chinese, Korean), RSS feeds, and Zoom-based online courses hosted on the Agency for Cultural Affairs' "Connect and Improve Your Life in Japan" and Irodori Japanese Online Course platforms. The Multilingual Disaster Support Center operates a stand-alone web property at multilingual-support-center.iho-server.com. No proprietary AI/ML, APIs, or mobile applications are in operation. Headquarters are co-located within International House, Osaka, currently temporarily relocated to Senba Center Building Nos. 1-2, B1F (1-2-1 Semba Chuo, Chuo-ku, Osaka City) due to major facility renovation through approximately end of March 2027.

The business model is non-commercial: most services — Information Counter consultations, legal/visa consultations, disaster preparedness guidance, school support referrals, and the One-day Information Service — are free, supplemented by individual course fees ranging from ¥4,000 to ¥30,000 (pay-as-you-go, mostly non-refundable), a Members/Donations program, and institutional backing from the City of Osaka and partner organizations including the Osaka City Economic Strategy Bureau, JASSO, and the Osaka Foreign Employment Service Center. Revenue figures are not publicly disclosed. Customers are individual foreign residents, international students, and foreign-rooted families — there is no B2B enterprise customer base and no resellers, distributors, or third-party sales channels.

Name

Osaka International House Foundation

Legal name

公益而降団法人 大阪国際交流センター (Osaka International House Foundation)

Website

https://ih-osaka.or.jp

Company type

Private

Founded year

1987

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Osaka International House Foundation is a public interest incorporated foundation established by the City of Osaka that operates a multilingual Information Center, Japanese language courses, a Multilingual Disaster Support Center, and international student and multicultural exchange programs serving foreign residents, students, and foreign-rooted families in Osaka, Japan.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

International Exchange and Multilingual Community Services

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710), Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Emergency and Other Relief Services (62423)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Global Emergency Support & Risk Response for International Students (crisis response, reporting, liaison) (EDALANAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Disaster Recovery, Reconstruction & Resilience Programs (BPAGAAAK), On-Ground Staff, Local Offices & 24/7 Emergency Assistance (EDAIANAF), Refugee, Crisis & Humanitarian Education Partnerships (EiE) (EDADALAG)

Keywords

• Multilingual information services
• Japanese language education
• Disaster preparedness support
• International student services
• Multicultural exchange programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Osaka-shi

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The foundation provides multilingual information and consultation services for foreign residents in Osaka, offers Japanese language education courses (in-person and online), delivers disaster preparedness support through the Multilingual Disaster Support Center, and facilitates international student support and multicultural exchange programs. It operates as the official public interest foundation established by Osaka City to promote citizen-level international exchange across 10+ languages.

Product overview

Osaka International House Foundation (大阪国際交流センター) is a public interest foundation serving as a central hub for international exchange in Osaka. The organization operates a portfolio of interconnected services centered on supporting foreign residents and promoting multicultural understanding. The core offerings include an Information Center providing multilingual consultations, Japanese language education programs (ranging from beginner to business Japanese courses), disaster preparedness support through the Multilingual Disaster Support Center, and international student support services. Additional programs include volunteer management, cultural exchange events like the I-House de Multicultural Experience, and community support initiatives for foreign families and children. The organization also maintains an online multicultural exchange platform and publishes multilingual disaster guides. These services collectively form an ecosystem designed to help foreigners live comfortably in Osaka while fostering cross-cultural understanding between foreign and local residents.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• I-HOUSE: The organization's primary brand name used across programs and services, representing its mission of 'Meeting together, learning together, and supporting each other' through citizen-level international exchange.
• Multilingual Disaster Support Center
• I-house Multicultural Exchange Platform

Products and services

• Information Center Services Provides multilingual information and consultation services for foreign residents in Osaka, including legal, visa, and daily life consultations. Operates Monday through Thursday and Saturday 9:00-17:30, Friday 9:00-19:00.
• Japanese for Daily Living Course (Life Japanese) Japanese language course focused on everyday communication skills for daily living in Japan. Morning/Afternoon class at 30,000 yen per course; Evening class at 12,000 yen per course. Course period July 8, 2026 to September 30, 2026 for the summer session.
• Practical Japanese for Work Japanese language course teaching workplace language and Japanese corporate culture needed for employment in Osaka. 8,000 yen per course (including materials fee), three terms per year, Saturdays 9:40-12:50.
• Online Japanese Language Course Online Japanese classes conducted via Zoom for beginners, using the Irodori Japanese Online Course platform. Elementary class at 5,000 yen per course (20 classes), 15 people per class.
• Kotoba no Hiroba (Japanese Language Class for Children) Japanese language classes for children with foreign roots, helping them learn Japanese in a supportive environment.
• Mirai Japanese Language Course Japanese language course for direct students (those who graduated junior high school abroad and wish to enter high school in Japan), teaching basic Japanese for daily life. 18,000 yen total per course (6 courses, each approximately 3 months, 20 sessions).
• Multilingual Disaster Support Center Provides multilingual disaster preparedness information and volunteer interpreter/translator support during disasters for foreign residents. Disaster prevention guides available in 10 languages (Japanese, English, Chinese, Korean, Spanish, Portuguese, Vietnamese, Filipino, Thai, Nepali, Myanmar) as of 2026 revision.
• International Student Support Services Comprehensive support for international students including information services, mail magazine, volunteer support, career guidance events, JASSO study abroad fairs, and scholarship assistance programs.
• Disaster Prevention Guide Multilingual disaster preparedness guide available in 10 languages (Japanese, English, Chinese, Korean, Spanish, Portuguese, Vietnamese, Filipino, Thai, Nepali, Myanmar) to help foreign residents prepare for disasters.
• Volunteer Bank Program that recruits, trains, and manages volunteer interpreters and translators for disaster support and international exchange activities.
• Pre-school for Children with Foreign Roots Preschool program preparing children with foreign backgrounds for elementary school in Japan.
• Foreign Community Collaboration Program (Tatsujin) Program registering foreign community experts (Tatsujin) who can share their culture and experiences through video presentations and lectures.
• Local International Human Resource Training Course Training program developing local human resources for international exchange and multicultural society leadership.
• One-day Information Service for Foreigners Free one-day consultation service where foreign residents can consult experts on various issues including law, immigration, labor, healthcare, and education. Interpreters provided in 12 languages (English, Chinese, Korean, Spanish, Portuguese, Indonesian, Thai, Filipino, Vietnamese, Nepali, Russian, Ukrainian).
• I-House de Multicultural Experience Annual multicultural exchange event where foreign residents showcase their language, culture, cuisine, traditional music, and dance to promote cultural understanding between Japanese and foreign community members.
• I-house Multicultural Exchange Platform Online platform for multicultural exchange activities and programs connecting foreign and local residents, including video content sharing and community engagement.

Quantifiable outcome

• Disaster prevention guides available in 10 languages as of 2026 revision, expanded from previous versions
• +3 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Osaka City Economic Strategy Bureau (大阪市経済戦略局)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026Osaka City Economic Strategy Bureau co-organizes the annual disaster preparedness training workshop for foreign and Japanese residents, contributing municipal resources and administrative support to the foundation's disaster prevention programs.
• Osaka Foreign Employment Service Center (大阪外国人雇用サービスセンター)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026The foundation supports promotion of the Osaka Foreign Employment Service Center's job fair for foreign students and graduates by sharing information through its international student mail magazine and website. The center organizes employment events that serve the foundation's international student constituency.
• Japan Student Services Organization (JASSO / 日本学生支援機構)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026JASSO organizes the major study abroad information fair for foreign students in Osaka, hosted with support from the foundation. The foundation serves as a venue and promotional partner for JASSO's annual higher education information sessions.
• One-day Information Service Execution CommitteecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026A coalition of organizations related to 'Creating an Osaka Where Foreigners Can Live Comfortably' that jointly organizes the annual One-day Information Service for Foreigners event, providing free multilingual consultations across 12 languages.
• Osaka Conference Center (大阪カンファレンスセンター)coreOthersThe Osaka Conference Center manages and operates the physical facility (halls, conference rooms) of International House, Osaka. The foundation's office and Information Center are co-located within this facility, and inquiries about facility reservations are forwarded to this operator.
• City of Osaka (大阪市)coreOthersOsaka City established the foundation as a public interest corporation (公共財団法人) to serve as the focal point for citizen-level international exchange. The city provides institutional support, co-sponsors programs, and maintains a network of related city departments and affiliated organizations.
• The Japan Foundation (国際交流基金)minorOthersListed among the foundation's network links. The Japan Foundation is Japan's primary cultural exchange organization at the national level, and the Osaka International House Foundation operates as a local counterpart for Osaka.
• Osaka International Exchange Association Network (国際交流協会ネットワークおおさか)minorOthersThe foundation is part of the Osaka International Exchange Association Network, a coalition of international exchange organizations across the Osaka region that coordinates activities and shares resources.

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• TELL Lifeline (Tokyo English Life Line): Nonprofit providing multilingual counseling and support services to foreign residents in Japan; partial overlap with the foundation's information and consultation services, particularly for mental health and crisis support.
• Settlement House / International Institute model — International Institute of Boston / 类似 Welcoming Center for New Pennsylvanians: U.S.-based 'welcoming center' nonprofits providing multilingual resettlement, information, and integration support to immigrants and refugees; comparable service model to the foundation's multilingual consultation and resident support, though operating in a different country context.
• Refugee Assistance Headquarters (formerly Japan Association for Refugees): Japanese nonprofit supporting refugees and foreign residents with legal, linguistic, and resettlement assistance; comparable in serving vulnerable foreign populations with multilingual support, though more focused on refugee status than the Osaka foundation's broader resident base.

Regional players

• Yokohama Association for International Communications and Exchanges (YOKE): Yokohama's international exchange association offering multilingual information services, Japanese classes, and intercultural programs; functionally analogous to the Osaka foundation in a different prefecture.
• Kobe International Community Center (KICC): Kobe-based international exchange hub offering multilingual consultation, cultural programs, and resident support; comparable service portfolio and Kansai regional focus.
• Nagoya International Center: Municipal international exchange center providing multilingual consultation, Japanese language classes, and disaster preparedness support to foreign residents in the Chubu region; directly comparable service stack to the Osaka foundation.
• Kyoto City International Foundation: Public-interest foundation in Kyoto providing multilingual support, international student services, and cross-cultural programming to foreign residents; very close peer in mandate, scale, and Kansai-adjacent operations.
• Tokyo Metropolitan Foundation for History and Culture (formerly Tokyo Foundation for International Exchange-related bodies): Operates cultural and international exchange programs in Tokyo with similar nonprofit/municipal-back structure; comparable in mission and funding model though serving the Tokyo metropolitan region rather than Kansai.

Broad incumbents

• Japan Foundation: Japan's primary national-level cultural exchange organization; comparable because it performs international exchange, language education, and partner-network coordination at a larger national scale, whereas the Osaka foundation is its local Kansai counterpart.
• Council of Local Authorities for International Relations (CLAIR): Japan-wide umbrella for local-government international exchange; comparable because it coordinates and supports the very network of which the Osaka foundation is a node, though operating at a national rather than city level.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/IhouseOsaka
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC--2YJ4HFxqlfSGJBUh0TVw
• Facebookfacebook.com/osakaihousefoundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/ihouseosaka

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Osaka International House Foundation