Japan Press Weekly

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2009 October 7 - 13 [WELFARE]

Number of households on welfare hits record high

The welfare ministry on October 7 published a report stating that the monthly average number of households on welfare reached 1,148,766, up 43,491 from the previous year, and that 1,592,620 people received the livelihood protection assistance.

Only less than 20 percent of those who are eligible for the assistance actually received the welfare benefits in Japan, extremely low compared to European countries’ 70-90 percent.

The Japanese Communist Party has demanded that the government expand the livelihood protection assistance as the safety net of last resort, take measures to prevent employers from arbitrarily dismissing non-regular employees or promoting illegal corporate restructuring schemes, and provide job training and housing assistance for the unemployed.
- Akahata, October 8, 2009