Japanese Child Poverty on the Rise

Child poverty in Japan is increasing at a surprising rate. That is the assessment from a senior government researcher studying the country's economic decline. Aya Abe says 15 percent of Japanese children live in poverty and the government is not doing enough to help them

25 February 2010

Child poverty in Japan is increasing at a surprising rate

Poverty is not first thing that comes to mind when you think of Japan. After all, there are no children begging on the streets in major cities here. You do not often see Japanese citizens publicly venting their frustrations over the country's economic decline. But senior government researcher Aya Abe says Japan has the fourth-highest rate of poverty among developed countries.

She says she sees that poverty in schools where students admit to only bathing once a week. Some cannot afford to buy pencils for class.

"They may not be on the streets begging or they may not be turning into criminals, but it's there. It's just that we have to open our eyes and see," Abe said.

Abe attributes the increase in child poverty to the country's changing demographics, struggling economy and high social security premiums. She says fewer people live in three-generation households, where the parents and grandparents work. The number of single mothers has increased. The salary for young fathers has declined with the economic downturn. Social security premiums have increased in the last 20 years, putting families on the threshold of poverty.