Homelessness in Japan (ホームレス, 浮浪者) is a social issue primarily affecting middle-aged and elderly males.
Broken down by prefecture, Osaka had the largest observed homeless population, at 888, followed by Tokyo (661) and Kanagawa (454). On the surface, this would be an applaudably low homelessness rate, given Japan's current total population of somewhere around 125 million people.
Why is Japan's Homeless Population So Low? Worldwide, homelessness results from many factors, including drug addiction, mental health, housing options, education and government decisions. Japan's strict drug laws, mental health systems and housing options contribute to the countries low homeless population.
At 0.003% or roughly 1 homeless person per 34,000 residents, Japan is the country with the world's lowest rate of homelessness. Moreover, with a population of around 125.7 million people, the country also has one of the lowest numbers of homeless people.
United States. While it is considered the leader of the world stage, the United States still has one of the biggest problems with homelessness, even when compared to more impoverished countries. With a homeless population per night of over half a million souls, the numbers are concerning.
Of the 122,494 people experiencing homelessness in Australia in 2021: Two in five (39.1%) were living in 'severely' crowded dwellings. One in five (19.8%) were in supported accommodation for the homeless.
Oftentimes, the homeless will set up their shelters along remote locations such as riverbanks. If the homeless have shelter in crowded areas like subway stations, they will remove themselves during peak hours.
Every night, roughly 1 in 200 Australians find themselves without a safe, secure or affordable place to sleep. A home isn't just four walls and a roof. It's a foundation for safety and security.
And so it is that here in Toronto we're busy studying how to jam more beds into already-cramped shelters, while over in Finland — where innovation is more than just another word for privatization — they've managed to virtually end homelessness.
Meanwhile, Finland committed to eradicating homelessness several years ago, and the statistics in that country show it's working. What is Finland's plan to eradicate homelessness? Since several years, homelessness has decreased in Finland, and the current government has a plan to end homelessness completely by 2027.
It's because of their own indigenous religion, Shinto, which also has a large impact on the culture. In Shintoism, to be clean is to be pure. Combining these two religions that revere purity and cleanliness during the historical founding era, has produced a country where being clean is very important.
The plan was to purchase a vacant lot and build a house on it, but land is expensive in Japan and their budget wouldn't allow it. So they turned to the growing supply of abandoned houses, which are cheaper and often come with more land.
Unlike in other countries, only a few indicators of poverty are visible to people despite the fact that a significant portion of the population live in poverty.
When it comes to physical requirements for fashion models, Japanese modeling agencies also tend to be a bit more realistic. For example, males can get hired if they're 5'10” or 5'11” and women can be 5'6” or 5'7” and land representation at most agencies.
Japan has one of the lowest homicide rates, recording 0.2 homicides per 100,000 people in 2020, compared to the United States which recorded 5.3. Robberies in Japan similarly have an incidence of 1.2 per 100,000 people, a tiny figure when compared to France (43.8), Germany (43.2) and the United States (81.4).
The Tokyo-based Advocacy Research Center for Homelessness (ARCH), has conducted night-time counts that indicate there are more like 1,500 to 2,000 sleeping on the streets within the city's central wards. The Tokyo Metropolitan Government says that it will also start counting homeless at night in its 2022 survey.
In 2022, Los Angeles had the nation's largest homeless population. About 582,000 Americans are experiencing homelessness, according to 2022 Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) data.
Lastly, homeless people may also be those who live in unconventional properties such as caravans and camper trailers. However, what is certain is that Japan is the only country in the world with a homeless population rate of around 0%.
California, New York, Florida and Washington had the most homeless people in 2022, according to the Annual Homeless Assessment Report. The four states accounted for more than half of the nation's homeless population, with 30% of the total living in California alone.
A majority of people experiencing homelessness long-term in Australia are found in the large cities of Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth. It is estimated that on any given night approximately 116,000 people will be homeless and many more are living in insecure housing, "one step away from being homeless".
In 2016, the Northern Territory had the highest rate of homeless people (about 600 persons per 10,000 population) and Tasmania the lowest (32 per 10,000).
Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows homelessness is surging. New figures show nearly 123,000 people were without a home on Census night 2021 - around 6,000 more than at the previous count in 2016. It represents a 5.2 per cent lift in homelessness over five years.
Japan Social Development Fund
The JSDF provides grants for community projects helping to end poverty in Japan, with a concentration on local governments. Projects include Livelihood Support, Improved Nutrition and Early Childhood Development, Inclusive Education, Legal Services and Basic Health and Sanitation Services.
Hamakaze has always been envisioned as a temporary facility. Established in 2003 in Kotobuki-cho (an impoverished area of Yokohama mainly known for doss houses and its population of day laborers), Hamakaze was one of the first purpose-built homeless shelters in all of Japan.
The Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction (JFPR) was established in May 2000 and provides direct grant assistance to the poorest and most vulnerable groups in developing member countries (DMCs) of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) while fostering long-term socioeconomic development.