The Japan Legal Support Center (JLSC) popularly known as Houterasu launched its legal consultation services in Tagalog on 3 April 2017. Houterasu provides useful information on the Japanese legal system as well as free legal consultation services for foreign residents through its multi-lingual call center known as “Multilingual Information Service” at telephone number 0570-078377. The “Multilingual Information Service” is available from Monday to Friday, 9 am – 5 pm.

Calls to the “Multilingual Information Service” are charged the regular call rates. Houterasu provides information on the Japanese legal system, bar associations and relevant organizations as well as gives advice on legal fee loans at no cost. For people with a Japanese address, regular status of residence and cannot fulfill certain economic requirements, Houterasu can provide legal advice from lawyers and experts at no cost, as well as legal fee loans.

Houterasu extends support by providing invaluable legal information on divorce, child custody, domestic violence, unpaid salaries, dismissal from employment and other labor disputes, visa problems, dealing with loans and accidents, and disaster-related assistance, among others.

Consul General Marian Jocelyn Tirol-Ignacio (3rd from the left), together with ATN Officer and Consular Attache, Diane B. Bartolome (2nd from the left) met with Ms. Yuko Hayashi and Mr. Atsushi Tsuchida of Houterasu’s Information Service Division as well as Mr. Koichi Funayama and Cesar Cabrejos of LanguageOne Corporation on 8 March 2017. They discussed the free legal information and legal services provided by Houterasu as well as the proposal to offer “Multilingual Information Service” in Tagalog.

When a call is made by a Filipino to the “Multilingual Information Service”, a Tagalog interpreter will take the inquiry, connect the caller to the nearest Houterasu District Office or District Branch Office and interpret the conversation between the caller and Houterasu.

Aside from Tagalog, Houterasu also provides legal services in 6 languages including Portuguese, Spanish, English, Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese. The multi-lingual service is currently provided by LanguageOne Corporation for Houterasu.

Houterasu is a Japanese government-funded public corporation under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Justice. It was established on 10 April 2006 under the Comprehensive Legal Support Act which seeks to make information services accessible toward the resolution of civil and criminal disputes by law in Japan.

Filipino nationals residing in Japan number 237,103 Filipinos as of June 2016. It overtook Brazil in 2012 to become the third largest group of foreign nationals in the country. The number of Filipinos in Japan is anticipated to rise together with their need for legal services in Japan.

Further information on the “Multilingual Information Service” extended by Houterasu may be found in http://www.houterasu.or.jp/multilingual/index.html. -End-

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