A growing number of foreigners suffering from serious infectious diseases, including tuberculosis and AIDS, is putting pressure on a private social work agency based in Tokyo's Shin-Okubo, a district known for its mix of foreign residents.
Ajia Yuko no Ie, or Friendly Asians Home, is an outgrowth of activities started in the 1960s by married couple Yoshio and Taeko Kimura, who were active in helping displaced Indochinese from 1975 to the end of the 1980s.
Last year, the home became legally recognized as a nonprofit organization, with Yoshio Kimura serving as president and his wife as general manager.