Japan

The ICRC’s activities in Japan date back to the First World War, when we visited prisoners of war (POWs) in Japan and Siberia. In 1942, during the Second World War, we set up a delegation in the country to visit POWs, help reconnect families with their loved ones who were captured abroad and provide assistance to victims of the atomic bombing in Hiroshima. Sixty years after closing the delegation in 1949, we reopened our office in Tokyo in 2009.

In Japan, we seek to have our mandate and humanitarian principles better known, understood and respected, as well as to shape future policies and practices linked to humanitarian issues. Furthermore, we work closely with universities and the private sector to actively engage in developing the means and tools to address global humanitarian needs in an era of new technologies and innovation.

Japan, today, is one of the ICRC’s major donors, providing support to countries and regions affected by armed conflict and violence.