In late March, 65 English assistant language teachers, or ALTs, effectively lost their jobs after dispatch agency Interac lost a contract with the Sapporo Board of Education.
It was shocking news for the ALTs, many of whom have families to support.
"Interac offered people classes outside of Sapporo in other parts of Japan. Some people took those, but the majority of people didn't because they had to stay in Sapporo for family reasons, or they simply wanted to stay in Sapporo," said one of the ALTs who asked not to be named.