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 live on the 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) and iOS
- 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 and transparent reviews. A 'Verified helper' badge exists in the data model but nobody holds one and there is no way to grant one yet
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, accountable profiles with reviews, 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.
