Press kit
Everything you need to write about TokyoHelp — a free, trilingual mutual-aid network for everyone living in Greater Tokyo.
One line
TokyoHelp connects new arrivals to long-time residents in Greater Tokyo — neighbours helping neighbours with the small things that are hard in a new place. Free, multilingual (English / 中文 / 日本語), and built mobile-first.
Quick facts
- Launched: May 2026 (Phase 1 closed in 4 weeks; iOS submitted to App Store)
- Founder: Jason Ye (independent developer based in Tokyo)
- Pricing: free in the MVP. No fees, no commission, no ads
- Platforms: web (tokyohelp.app, PWA-installable), iOS, macOS
- Languages: English, 中文 (简体), 日本語 — all first-class; posts auto-translated via Azure
- Coverage: 23 Tokyo wards + Tama, plus Kanagawa, Chiba, Saitama
- Trust: in-app reports + blocks, transparent reviews, and hand-verified helper badges
The story
Moving to Tokyo is exciting and quietly hard. A form at the ward office, a lease in Japanese, the wrong door for the new fridge, a hospital appointment when nobody on staff speaks your language. The people who can help — long-time residents, fellow expats — are already nearby. They just have no structured way to find each other.
TokyoHelp is the structured way. Post a request, get matched, leave a review. It is mutual aid, not a marketplace: the MVP is completely free, with no money changing hands between users. Sustainability comes later, from B2B referrals (housing / SIM / banking partners) — never from user fees.
Why now
Greater Tokyo's foreign population crossed 800,000 in 2024 and continues to grow. The default channels — Facebook groups, WeChat circles, Reddit threads, LINE chats — are chaotic, monolingual, and offer no accountability. TokyoHelp brings structure (typed requests, verified neighbours, completion + review loop) and language fluency (auto-translation) to a community that has been waiting for both.
About the team
TokyoHelp is built by Jason Ye, an independent developer based in Tokyo. The product is part of a broader portfolio of small, focused tools designed for thoughtful users. TokyoHelp's stack: Next.js 16 (web), SwiftUI (iOS / macOS), Supabase (Tokyo region), Azure Translator, web push + APNs, Sentry.
Contact
Press inquiries: press@tokyohelp.app · General: hello@tokyohelp.app · Mastodon / X handles linked from the site footer when available. Replies in English, 中文, or 日本語.
