Child poverty is a problem Japan needs to give a voice to

One in seven Japanese children live in poverty today. The negative effects of this on both individual and societal level are enormous. Children in need find it difficult if not impossible to break the cycle of poverty and improve their life circumstances through education and other means. This also has ripple effects on society and the economy in terms of lost productivity and revenue.

There are different ways to measure poverty in Japan depending on the method and source. Generally, poverty is broken down into two categories. One is absolute poverty, where children and families struggle to afford food, clothes and other items necessary for a minimum standard of living. The other is relative poverty, defined as a household making below 50% of the national average.

The monthly income for a single-parent household with one child comes to less than 140,000 yen. One in seven children live in relative poverty in Japan and the overall rate of child poverty has increased over the past thirty years.

Children in either category of poverty are severely disadvantaged, not only regarding everyday necessities, but also their ability to prepare for a successful future. Low incomes affect their education and self-development.

Suffering children in vulnerable households

Heads of single-parent households often do not have ideal employment situations. Many of them work in unstable or temporary jobs with low wages and no room for advancement. The difficulties of paying rent and other fees can cause immense pressure and emotional tolls on these households. Some government assistance programs exist, but requirements can be strict. Moreover, processes can be discriminatory against single mothers.

Many Japanese children in need are from single-parent households. Regardless of the household type, the low wages and unstable hours lead to a lack of support for their education. They are unable to afford to go to cram schools that may give them an advantage. Without parents at home, they may struggle with their studies and miss out on necessary opportunities for emotional development.

The economic costs are also massive. Research from the Japan Foundation suggests that the costs of child poverty exceed 42.9 trillion yen. The lost income for these children as they become adults translates into lost contributions to taxes and social programs, among other things.

Efforts to fight child poverty and hunger

There have been efforts to end poverty for children, or at least mitigate its effects and gain a better understanding of the issue. The Japanese government introduced measures to fight the problem in 2014. The guidelines for these measures were updated in 2019. These include more detailed standards to determine what counts as poverty or improved living conditions.

Support for children can come from local communities as well. Kodomo shokudos, or child cafeterias, have been opening in certain parts of Japan. The first known kodomo shokudo opened in Tokyo’s Ota ward in 2012. These are volunteer-run spaces where children can eat healthy meals for free or relatively low prices (around 100 to 300 yen). As they are open to all ages, kodomo shokudo can also give an important sense of community for children and others.

The issue of child poverty shows us that seemingly individual problems are really issues that are important for society as a whole. Children in need face a tragic lack of opportunity to improve their lot in life. This can lead to a diminished ability to contribute to society. The economic costs are clear, but what is less so is losing out on their potential skills and talents. Most of all, children of all backgrounds should be afforded the chance to live a dignified life free of the stresses and uncertainties that poverty brings.