SOS Children's Villages' activities in the country
In Japan, a group supporting the general notion of SOS Children's Villages was organised around Ms Kinuko Takeda already back in the days of the founder of the SOS Children's Villages, Mr Hermann Gmeiner. As a result of the group's strong commitment, a national SOS Children's Villages association was founded and an office established in Matsumoto in 1986. A few years later, the office moved to Tokyo.
The association's main goal was to specifically promote the philosophy of SOS Children's Villages. Public relations activities eventually broke the ground for financing villages throughout the Asian region. After ten years of dedicated attempts to firmly establish SOS Children's Villages in Japan, the office had to be closed upon the retirement of Ms Takeda in 1997.
During the last years steps have been taken to establish the SOS Children’s Villages concept in Japan and to build a children’s village. An important milestone was reached with the opening of first children’s village in Fukuoka in April 2010. The Japanese Association "Children's Village Fukuoka" is currently not yet a member association of SOS Children's Villages International, although they are entitled to use the SOS Children's Villages brand. It is the goal of all parties involved that the "Children's Village Fukuoka" will be an official member of SOS Children's Villages International in the near future.