NPO Children's Support Center Tsunagu

What NPO Children's Support Center Tsunagu does

NPO Children's Support Center Tsunagu (認定NPO法人子ども支援センター つなっぐ) is a Certified Nonprofit Organization founded in April 2019 and headquartered in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. It operates as one of only two Children's Advocacy Centers (CACs) in Japan, delivering integrated, one-stop support — forensic interviews (司法面接), systematic full-body medical examinations, psychological care, accompaniment support, and mid-to-long-term livelihood assistance — for children who have experienced abuse or sexual violence. The organization is the sole provider of accompaniment dog (付添犬) services in Japan and runs forensic interview rooms inside Kanagawa Prefectural Children's Medical Center to ensure medical co-location.

Its core technology stack comprises a Japan-adapted forensic interview protocol (司法面接構造) developed in consultation with the US National Children's Advocacy Center and published in March 2024, an accompanying 140-page implementation manual, and the country's only published set of accompaniment dog implementation guidelines (March 2026). These are reinforced by a multi-modal training division — Judicial Interview Training, Advanced Training, MDT (Multi-Disciplinary Team) Training, Children's Listening Response Training, Peer Review coaching, and the six-session Tsuna Supo volunteer curriculum — delivered nationally via Zoom and event platforms such as Peatix.

Revenue is generated through a hybrid nonprofit model: fee-based professional training (2,000–75,000 JPY tiers), individual and corporate donations (monthly supporter programs, one-time gifts via Syncable, Amazon Pay, SoftBank Charity, bank transfer), corporate sponsorships (Royal Housing Group, Kewpie, Murakami Foundation, Nippon Foundation, Youth Support Fund), and the Kanagawa Prefecture Furusato Tax NPO selection program launched in April 2025. Certified NPO status unlocks tax-deductible giving, while core victim services are provided free of charge. Nippon Foundation currently underwrites fiscal year 2026 training fees, making the curriculum essentially free. The organization reaches beneficiaries through direct case referrals from child welfare offices, schools, hospitals, police, and courts, alongside public lectures, symposiums, internship programs, and earned media coverage in major national outlets including NHK, Asahi, Mainichi, Yomiuri, Nihon Keizai, Sankei, TV Asahi, and ABEMA.

Name

NPO Children's Support Center Tsunagu

Legal name

認定NPO法人子ども支援センターつなっぐ

Website

https://tsunagg.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Certified NPO operating Japan's leading Children's Advocacy Center in Yokohama, delivering one-stop forensic interviews, systematic medical examinations, psychological care, and accompaniment dog services for child abuse and sexual violence victims, alongside a national professional training division.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Child Advocacy and Victim Support Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Child and Youth Services (624110)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Domestic Violence & Abuse Support Services (BPAGAEAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Victim Services & Witness Assistance (Justice System) (BPAIAFAJ), Protection Services (GBV, Child Protection, Legal Aid) (BPADADAH)

Keywords

• Child advocacy services
• Forensic interview training
• Child protection programs
• Victim support services
• Nonprofit social services

Headquarters

HQ city

Yokohama-shi

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. 司法面接研修・Training Program Fees: Revenue from professional training programs including the Tsunagu Forensic Interview Training (基礎編 75,000 JPY general / 54,000 JPY repeat), MDT Training (12,000 JPY), Children's Listening Training (2,000-3,000 JPY), and volunteer courses (10,000-12,000 JPY).
2. 個人・企業からの寄附 (Donations from Individuals and Corporations): Individual donations through monthly supporter programs (マンスリーサプライヤー), one-time gifts via bank transfer, credit card, Amazon Pay, SoftBank, and corporate sponsorship.
3. ふるさと納税 (Furusato Tax Donation): Donations through the Kanagawa Prefecture Furusato Tax NPO selection program, launched April 2025, allowing tax-deductible contributions via portals such as さとふる, 楽天ふるさと納税, and ふるさっと.
4. 認定NPO税制優遇による支援 (Certified NPO Tax-Advantaged Donations): As a certified NPO, donations are tax-deductible under Japanese law, incentivizing individual and corporate giving.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Tsunagu operates as one of only two Children's Advocacy Centers (CACs) in Japan, providing a one-stop integrated support model for child abuse and sexual violence victims. Direct services combine forensic interviews (司法面接), systematic full-body medical examinations (系統的全身診察), psychological care, accompaniment dogs (付添犬), and long-term livelihood/case management support (伴走支援). The organization complements direct services with a professional training division offering forensic interview training, MDT training, listening and response training, and volunteer programs for child welfare practitioners nationwide.

Product overview

NPO Children's Support Center Tsunagu operates as a Children's Advocacy Center (CAC) providing integrated support services for child abuse and sexual abuse victims. The organization offers three core direct services: 司法面接 (Judicial Interview) for forensic evidence gathering, 系統的全身診察 (Systematic Physical Examination) for medical assessment, and 伴走支援 (Accompanying Support) for long-term case management. Unique to Japan, the organization also provides 付添犬 (Support Dogs) to reduce child anxiety during procedures. These core services are complemented by an extensive training division offering司法面接研修, MDT研修, and other professional development programs for practitioners nationwide. The organization has developed and published the Japanese-version司法面接ガイドライン and司法面接構造 protocol based on international best practices adapted for Japan's legal and cultural context.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Judicial Interview (司法面接) Professional forensic interview service for child abuse and sexual abuse victims, conducted by trained specialists using a Japan-adapted protocol derived from the US NCAC model. Interviews are structured to gather accurate information without leading or suggestive questioning and are recorded for legal proceedings.
• Systematic Physical Examination (系統的全身診察) Comprehensive medical examination service for child abuse victims conducted in a child-friendly environment at the Kanagawa Prefectural Children's Medical Center, designed to collect forensic evidence while minimizing re-traumatization.
• Accompaniment Dog / Support Dog (付添犬) Trained assistance dogs that accompany child abuse and sexual violence victims during forensic interviews and medical examinations to reduce anxiety and provide emotional support. Tsunagu is the only organization in Japan providing this service.
• Accompanying Support / Long-term Case Management (伴走支援) Long-term one-on-one support service for child victims that includes daily living assistance (food, clothing, shelter), medical/insurance navigation, administrative procedures, emotional care, and life skills development.
• Forensic Interview Training (Basic) (司法面接研修 基礎編) 4-day intensive professional training program teaching the Tsunagu-developed Japanese forensic interview protocol based on NCAC methodology. Covers interview structure, conversation techniques, handling reluctant children, and practical exercises. Priced at 75,000 JPY (general) / 54,000 JPY (repeat).
• MDT (Multi-Disciplinary Team) Training (MDT研修) Training program on multi-agency, multi-disciplinary collaboration for child abuse cases. Includes pre-training video modules and live sessions with experts from child consultation centers, police, prosecutors, and courts. Priced at 12,000 JPY per session.
• Listening and Response Training for Child Disclosure (子どもから被害開示があったときの話の聴き方と対応研修) Training for professionals on appropriate initial response and interview techniques when a child discloses abuse, including how to connect victims with proper support services. Priced at 2,000-3,000 JPY online / archive.
• Peer Review (ピアレビュー) One-on-one review service in which trained professionals review recorded judicial interview practice sessions and provide personalized feedback to improve interview techniques.
• Tsuna Supo Youth Volunteer Support Training (つなサポ) 6-session volunteer training program for individuals interested in supporting children and youth. Covers trauma-informed care, family dynamics, and practical support skills. Priced at 12,000 JPY for the full course.
• Public Lectures (市民公開講座) Public seminar series covering topics such as comprehensive sex education, trauma-informed care, perpetrator psychology, and child protection. Includes topics on child rights, trauma recovery, and multi-disciplinary collaboration.
• Judicial Interview Implementation Manual (司法面接実施の手引き) Published 140-page manual providing detailed guidance on implementing forensic interviews with child abuse victims; sold as a companion resource to the training program.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 100付添犬 deployments since program launch (by 2023)
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered moderate and core.

• 公益財団法人よこはまユース (Public Welfare Foundation Yokohama Youth)moderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as co-sponsor of the Tsunagu Forensic Interview Training program and co-host of volunteer training programs.
• 神奈川県立こども医療センター (Kanagawa Prefectural Children's Medical Center)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHost institution for Tsunagu's forensic interview rooms and key partner in the CAC model. Representative director 田上幸治 serves as a physician at this medical center. The center provides medical infrastructure and referral pathways.
• アメリカNCAC (US National Children's Advocacy Center)coreTechnology or IntegrationProvided consultation for developing Japan's forensic interview protocol (司法面接構造), adapting the US CAC model for Japan's legal and socio-cultural context.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• ChildFund Japan: Japan branch of the international ChildFund Alliance, focused on child welfare, protection from violence, and youth development. Comparable as a Japanese-registered NPO delivering child welfare services with diversified donation-based revenue streams.
• National Children's Alliance: The US national accrediting body and umbrella organization for the 880+ Children's Advocacy Centers across the United States. Comparable to Tsunagu in mission and CAC model delivery, but operating at vastly larger scale and serving as the systemic counterpart Tsunagu could grow toward in Japan.
• Save the Children Japan: One of Japan's largest child welfare and rights NPOs, working on child protection, abuse prevention, and child rights advocacy. Comparable to Tsunagu in NPO structure and donor-supported funding, though operating across broader child welfare themes at significantly larger scale.
• UNICEF Japan (日本ユニセフ協会): Japanese national committee for UNICEF, advocating for children's rights and protection from violence and exploitation. Comparable in mission focus on child protection and abuse prevention, though at national-scale advocacy rather than direct service delivery.

Direct peers

• Darkness to Light: US organization focused specifically on the prevention and recognition of child sexual abuse through training, advocacy, and survivor support. Highly comparable to Tsunagu in narrow focus on child sexual violence response and professional training programs.
• Childhelp: US-based nonprofit focused on intervention, treatment, and prevention of child abuse, operating crisis hotlines, residential programs, and advocacy. Comparable to Tsunagu in direct child abuse victim support mission and NPO structure.
• National Children's Advocacy Center (NCAC): The original US Children's Advocacy Center in Huntsville, Alabama, whose CAC model and forensic interview methodology Tsunagu directly adapted for Japan. NCAC provided consultation for the 司法面接構造 protocol and serves as the international parent reference for the CAC service delivery approach.

Regional players

• Kids' Door: Tokyo-based Japanese NPO providing long-term support to children from low-income and challenging backgrounds, including after-school programs, food support, and case management. Comparable to Tsunagu in NPO structure, donor-funded model, and one-on-one child support services.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@cac-tsunagg
• Facebookfacebook.com/tsunagg.kanagawa
• Instagraminstagram.com/npo_tsunagg?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=
• Xx.com/NPO_Tsunagg

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 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 NPO Children's Support Center Tsunagu