Poverty in Japan

Poverty is an issue every country faces. This word is simply defined by a person’s sincere lack of possessions or income for which he or she needs to live. It would be difficult to assert the fact that being extremely poor is a phenomenon. It is an issue that also persists in developed nations such as Japan.

Statistics and facts about Poverty
What poverty looks like in Japan
Case studies of poverty in Japan
Organizations in Japan fighting poverty
Latest articles relating to poverty in Japan

Statistics and facts about Poverty in Japan and around the world

10% of the world’s population was considered to live in extreme poverty, subsisting on less than $1.90 a day. (DoSomething.org)
Rural populations around the world are seven times more likely to drink contaminated water compared to urban populations. (WHO/UNICEF JMP)
In 2018, 109.2 million people are at risk of poverty or social exclusion; this comprises 21.7% of the European population. (FEBA)
The official poverty rate in the United States of America was 11.5% in 2022. (US Census Bureau)
In 2018, the poverty rate of Japan among OECD members was at 15.7%. Japan announced its poverty rate was at 15.4% in 2022. (OECD, Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare)
The average for child poverty among OECD member states was at 14.0% between 2018 and 2022, with Japan’s poverty rate being 15.7% in the same period. (OECD)
One in 6.5 people in Japan as are living in poverty and one in 8.7 children are in poverty. One in two single parents are still high in poverty. (Fin Tech Journal)
There has been a sharp decrease in full-time positions at a company and a steady increase in part-time positions within Japan. (The Washington Post)
In July 2023, the government announced that the latest relative child poverty rate is 11.5%, while Unicef reports Japan’s latest child poverty rate among OECD member states was at 14.8%. (Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare, Unicef)
Since April, Japan has been attempting to house its homeless population, which stood at around 4,977 people in 2018. (Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare)

What poverty looks like in Japan

Japan is no stranger to the word poverty; in fact, Japan has some of the highest poverty rates in the world compared to other developed nations. As of 2018, Japan has the second-highest rate among G7 nations.

The study was conducted based on a term defined as relative poverty. Relative poverty refers to the lack of income for which a person needs to live to maintain a living standard. Although Japan is often thought to be a country in which poverty does not exist, the issue is a modern one that may not be well understood unless living in the country.

Homelessness in Japan

The Japanese government, like many others around the globe, has begun the endeavor of tackling domestic poverty, as well as homelessness. According to the Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare, in 2023, Osaka had the highest rates of homelessness in Japan. It estimated having approximately 888 people without homes. It’s hard to argue with these numbers, but over the past 30 years, the numbers have significantly decreased since the burst of the 1980’s bubble.

Poverty affects women too

Japanese women tend to suffer the most and have a higher likelihood to face poverty. Many argue this is due to the wage and gender gap that even today continues in Japanese society.

Single women with children are hit hardest, as the rate for single-parent households rose by approximately 50% between 1992 and 2006. This jump also contributes to the increase in poverty among women who are raising children on their own. Another cause that may not be factored in is the cumulative weight of mazahara, which is harassment women receive during work due to their gender or even being with child.

Economic factors surrounding poverty

The catalyst of poverty and homelessness awareness in Japan skyrocketed in the 1990s. After the economic turmoil succeeding Japan’s bubble economy collapse, there was an extensive period of hiring freezes and staff cuts. This may have been a major reason as to why the Japanese focus shifted to a fair standard cost for living.

Although the government has created countermeasures to battle poverty since the 90s, there is still uncertainty about this long-standing issue within the country. This is something that may be emphasized over the next few years as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, which will not be unique to Japan.

Case studies of poverty in Japan

Single mothers in Japan

As stated before, Japanese single mothers face incredibly tough paths ahead of themselves. Compared to other countries around the world, Japan has faced an uphill battle that surrounds the gender gap and inequality. Single mothers are some of the most vulnerable in this area. They are the sole source of household income while facing the difficulties that come with raising a child alone.

It’s understood that almost 11.5% of children live in poverty in Japan; it’s also important to note that 44.5% of these children are raised by one parent who is most likely a woman. Although Japan has in recent years attempted to increase the number of women in the workforce, many obstacles need to be addressed.

Elderly choosing to go behind bars

A phenomenon that has in recent years come to light in Japan is the increase in the imprisonment of senior citizens. This may come as a shock to many, but for many older pensioners, the explanation is simple.

This allows many of the elderly to either save their pensions, have a place to stay for free, be taken care of, or all of the above. These reasons and many others have led to a cultural outbreak of Japanese citizens committing petty thefts.

Organizations in Japan fighting poverty

Here are a few organizations in Japan working to fight poverty:

Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction – Provides funds and grants for projects supporting poverty reduction and related social development activities.

Saitama Youth Support Net – A non-profit organization run by student volunteers to help combat child poverty within Japan

Oxfam Japan – An organization working to bring poverty awareness around the world to the rest of Japan, by raising global issues that impact every individual.