Homeless People (2004-06-16)
Being the third biggest economy in the world (according to CIA's World Factbook published in 2004, May 11th) and a rich country, Japan has more homeless people than I thought before I came here. The government does not offer a whole lot of welfare and assistance to the homeless. Often times the policy seems to be " ignore them and they don't exist".
Homeless people don't seem to pose a threat to the society. They don't rob people, don't burgle houses, don't bother passersby and they don't cadge. They build makeshift tents in parks or along riverbeds using tarp and cardboard. They salvage garbage bins from restaurants or convenience stores for food. Some will pick up empty cans on the streets and sell them for a paltry amount to live by.
There are kind-hearted volunteers who go to Ueno (
) Park at regular
intervals to
give homeless people free haircut. Many homeless people do make
an effort to
look after themselves. They use public restrooms to wash and
clean their bodies and clothes.
Our Japanese teacher in the past once told us many homeless men are educated and used to hold well-paid jobs. I don't know the circumstance that leads to their predicament or the reason for lack of support from families. I just know that Japanese homeless people are the most dignified and well-behaved down-on-luck vagrants I've seen.
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