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Money. Work. Life. Where do you turn?

More support.
More connection.
For the life ahead.

Know who to turn to and what support is out there before worries grow. That’s Bokyu: preventing hardship. Start by learning what could help you or someone you care about.

What is Bokyu?Find support (Japanese) (external site)
Institute of Poverty Prevention members and partners at a hackathon
Bring what you can. Build together.

ABOUT BOKYU

It could be any of us.

Bokyu means preparing before everyday worries become serious hardship.

For young adults

A new chapter, with people to turn to.

Starting college, a new job or life on your own can bring unfamiliar worries. Knowing where to find advice and support can help you and the people around you.

Two young adults talking with an open notebook in a new home

EVERYDAY MOMENTS

Living on your own

Rent, bills, everyday costs. Knowing what support is available is part of getting ready.

EVERYDAY MOMENTS

When work changes

Who could you turn to if your income dropped? It helps to know where to ask.

EVERYDAY MOMENTS

When a friend is struggling

Not sure how to help? Looking for support together can be a place to start.

For people raising children

You don’t have to face parenting worries alone.

Children, work and household expenses: life can change in many ways. Knowing about local advice and support helps you prepare. Building connections beyond your family is part of Bokyu, too.

A parent talking with a community member beside a child playing with blocks

EVERYDAY MOMENTS

When parenting brings questions

Questions about your child or daily life? Get to know local places where you can talk things through.

EVERYDAY MOMENTS

Balancing work and family

Returning to work or changing your hours? Knowing about childcare and people you can turn to helps your family prepare.

EVERYDAY MOMENTS

Thinking about family expenses

Costs change as children grow. Explore available support and places to ask for advice before worries build up.

For people in their working years

Be ready for changes at work and at home.

Changes at work, a drop in income or caring for a family member can affect everyday life. Knowing who to talk to and what support is available, before things change, can bring reassurance for you and those close to you.

Two adults discussing work and life at a table with a closed laptop and notebook

EVERYDAY MOMENTS

When your job or income changes

Changing jobs or taking leave? Find out about support and advice to help you prepare for what comes next.

EVERYDAY MOMENTS

Thinking about care for family

You don’t have to balance work and caregiving alone. Talk with family and get to know local advice services.

EVERYDAY MOMENTS

When someone seems overwhelmed

Someone seems different lately? Checking in, listening and looking for support together can make a difference.

For older adults and the people close to them

People to turn to, in the years ahead.

Retirement, health and living alone can bring new questions. Connecting with local advice services and people who support one another, before worries grow, helps you prepare for yourself and the people close to you.

Two older adults and a younger neighbor chatting on a neighborhood bench

EVERYDAY MOMENTS

Planning life after retirement

Income and daily routines may change. Find people and advice services you can talk to about the years ahead.

EVERYDAY MOMENTS

Thinking about living alone

Who could you call if you felt unwell? Get to know neighbors you can check in with and local support services.

EVERYDAY MOMENTS

Looking out for people nearby

Wondering how someone is doing? A friendly check-in can build a connection, so you can seek advice together when needed.

You don’t have to figure everything out alone. We bring researchers, communities, local governments and businesses together to learn and build better support.

Our mission and organization

OUR ACTIVITIES

Learn. Talk. Try things out.

Participants at the Bokyu Summit 2025

Learn and prepare

Work out where to turn, together

What if your income dropped? Who could you ask for help? Our Bokyu workshops and summits help people prepare for everyday challenges together.

Read the Bokyu Summit report
Participants gathering for a community activity

Research and connect

Listen to everyday experiences

We listen to what people find difficult and work with researchers and support workers to turn those experiences into better support.

Our research with GovTech Tokyo
Signing the partnership agreement with Fujimi City

Reach out and support

Make support easier to find

We work with local governments and developers to help support reach those who need it, building tools and partnerships that make assistance easier to find.

Our partnership with Fujimi City

SMALL STEPS, SHARED CHANGE

Moving forward with communities.

2023

Top prize at the Tokyo Governor’s Cup Hackathon

Together with proj-inclusive, we used technology to tackle challenges in everyday life.

Read the report

2024

A partnership with Fujimi City

We are working with local government to prevent hardship and keep it from becoming more severe.

Read the report

2025

Bokyu Summit in Fujimi City

Government, nonprofits, residents, businesses and educators came together to learn and exchange ideas.

Read the report

OUR PEOPLE

Meet the people behind the work.

Our members and organization↗

Our partners

proj-inclusive ↗

Bokyu Research Group

GET INVOLVED

Curious? That’s a good place to start.

Want to learn more or try something together? Your idea doesn’t need to be finished. Tell us what you’re interested in.

Create something together

Share an idea for your school or community.

Find your way to help

Talk with us about ways to get involved.

Talks and media

Help introduce poverty prevention to more people.

Looking for practical support?

Our external support tool provides information about assistance programs in Japanese.

Open the Yadokari support estimator↗

NEWS & STORIES

News and reports

View all news↗