In August 2004 the Refugee Council Japan (RCJ) was established to act as an umbrella organization for Japanese NGOs undertaking refugee assistance. At present the RCJ consists of the following 10 organizations: International Social Service Japan; Amnesty International Japan; Catholic Tokyo International Centre; Association for Supporting Refugees’ Settlement in Kanagawa Prefecture; Support 21 Social Welfare Foundation; Japan Lawyers’ Network for Refugees; Japan Association for Refugees; Catholic Commission of Japan for Migrants Refugees and People on the Move; Japan Evangelical Lutheran Association and the Japan Legal Aid Association. Although still in its infancy the aim of the organization is to establish more of a “one-stop” approach to refugee assistance by being the first point of contact for refugees who will then be referred on to the appropriate agency for advice, welfare assistance etc. If it is successful and financially secure the RCJ could bring a co-ordinated approach to NGO activities in the refugee field and thereby represent a major step forward.