In 2020, COVID-19 has raged around the world, having a significant impact on international volunteers working in various developing countries. The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) decided to send the Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers (JOCV), who had been dispatched to various countries, back to Japan in March 2020 as an emergency measure. The present situation and the sentiments of the JOCV will not only help their
activities after the resumption of deployment but also contribute to the improvement of the JICA’s support system for JOCV in future emergency situations. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the circumstances and feelings of JOCV who had to return to Japan due to the emergency of COVID-19, using the case of JOCV in the field of physical education (PE volunteers), and to discuss the characteristics of JOCV and the volunteer support system of the JICA in emergency situations. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with five PE volunteers, and the interview data were analyzed using Steps for Coding and Theorization (SCAT). As a result, the following three points were suggested: (1) many JOCV regret that they were not able to say goodbye to the people in their assignments, (2) many JOCV have a desire to help those in need and are curious, and (3) a system must be built that allows JOCV to maintain a relationship with their assignments even in Japan.