Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, Social Participation and Health Promotion Research Team, current TMIG Social Participation and Healthy Aging Team, started training senior volunteers in 2004 to support schools, mainly reading picture books to children, with support from Tokyo Metropolitan Government and the Health and Labor Science Research Grants of MHLW.
At that time, a pioneering study, "Research of productivity by intergenerational sympathy" was launched and investigate how intergenerational exchange between senior volunteers and children influences each other and what effects it has on both generations. This is how the REPRINTS, the reading picture books project by senior volunteers, started.
Currently, senior volunteers over 60 years old read books to children at various places, such as kindergartens, nursery schools, elementary schools, and junior high schools, as well as elderly care facilities. The REPRINTS Network grows an organization in and surrounding metropolitan Tokyo area. They hold training sessions and area meetings regularly: including Chuo Ward, Tokyo (Reprints Chuo), Tama Ward, Kawasaki City, Kanagawa Prefecture (Reprints Kawasaki), Suginami Ward, Tokyo (Reprints Suginami), Aoba Ward, Yokohama City (Reprint Aoba), Bunkyo Ward, Tokyo (Reprints Bunkyo), Toshima Ward, Tokyo (Reprints Toshima), Kita Ward, Tokyo (Reprints Kita), Ota Ward, Tokyo (Reprints Ota), Shinjuku Ward, Tokyo (Reprints Shinjuku), Komae City, Tokyo (Reprints Komae), Itabashi Ward, Tokyo (Reprints Itabashi), and Meguro Ward, Tokyo (Reprint Meguro), Shinagawa Ward, Tokyo (Reprints Shinagawa).
Training sessions are also offered to the independent groups operating in Chiyoda Ward, Fuchu City, and Nagahama City, Shiga Prefecture (Reprints Nagahama "Jii-Baa Poko Poko").
Now, 500 members involve in the REPRINTS activities, more than 600 senior volunteers when combined with related organizations all over the country.