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Increasing Poverty in Japan: Social Policy and Public Assistance Program
Miyuki Inaba 한국사회복지학회 2011 Asian Social Work and Policy Review Vol.5 No.2
Until quite recently, the problem of poverty was largely ‘‘invisible’’ in Japan, since the poverty rate wasrelatively low and issues surrounding poverty received little attention. However, the recent financialand economic crisis caused such an increase in the poverty rate that it could no longer be ignored.Whenthe government announced a poverty rate for the first time in 2009 (15.7% for the year 2007), the nationwas shocked. Poverty is now widely discussed and ‘‘visible’’ in Japan, and Japanese policy makers havebeen forced to formulate and implement strategies to help the poor. The contribution of changing internationaland national economic and social conditions to increased poverty, including populationchanges in Japan, is also noted. This paper aims to provide an overview of the poverty situation andthe nature of social policy that addresses poverty. It describes in particular the national public assistanceprogram, which is a major public income-support program and is considered as the ‘last safetynet’ available for the poor in Japan. In conclusion, the paper explores the key problems faced by theprogram and discusses the challenges associated with tackling a dramatic increase in poverty.