Homelessness in Japan

Homelessness in Japan (ホームレス, 浮浪者) is a social issue overwhelmingly affecting middle-aged and elderly males.

Homelessness is thought to have peaked in the 1990s as a consequence of the collapse of the Japanese asset price bubble and has largely fallen since then.

[1] According to the "Special Act in regards to Supporting the Autonomy of the Homeless Population" (Japanese: ホームレスの自立の支援等に関する特別措置法), the term "homeless" is defined as "those who utilize city parks, river banks, roads, train stations, and other facilities as their place of stay in order to live their daily lives".

[5] Since the 1990s, part-time and temporary employment has increased in Japan, often at the minimum wage, in part due to changes in legislation in 1986 and 1999.

[6] Due to bureaucratic obstacles, it was quite hard for a homeless person to obtain welfare benefits that they might have been eligible to receive.

According to a survey conducted by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare between January and February 2003, the total number of homeless people in Japan at that time was 25,296.

[8] For the first time between June and July 2007 a survey was done by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare in regards to people spending the night at Internet cafés and 24-hour shops.

[14] The survey found that the number of homeless people in the eastern part of Japan, where the winter is comparatively colder, was 9,225;[15] while the number of homeless people in the western part of Japan (described in the study as areas west of Toyama, Gifu, and Aichi prefectures), where the winter is comparatively warmer, was 9,339.

In August 2002, the "Special Act in regards to Supporting the Autonomy of the Homeless Population" (Japanese: ホームレスの自立の支援等に関する特別措置法) was enacted, and proper support began to be offered by the country, including the first nationwide survey into the homelessness of the country, launched by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare in February 2003.