Reflections on the Human Condition - Api-fellowships.org

THE EMPOWERING THE POOR AND VULNERABLE
MANAGEMENT OF THE HOMELESS IN TOKYO AND MANILA:
SOME LESSONS FOR THAILAND
Boonlert Visetpricha
INTRODUCTION
This study was divided into two periods—five months
and two weeks in Tokyo from October 2004 to March
2005 and two months in Manila from April to May
2005. Due to the time constraints, there is more detail
on the study in Japan than in Manila. Although the
researcher worked more closely with non-governmental
organizations and people organizations in gathering
information, he also paid attention to the visions of
the government. Hence, the report includes review of
documents and interviews of various sources i.e. citizens
directly confronting with problem, non-governmental
organizations, scholars, and government officers.
Hopefully, the report will fully cover every detail.
The presentation will be in two separate parts—the
experiences indicating the problem of the homeless in
Tokyo, and the solutions to squatted slums in Manila.
In addition, the comparison with Thai society will be
included at the end of each part, and the solution in
the three countries will be found in the conclusion of
the study.
HOMELESS MANAGEMENT IN TOKYO 1
Background of Homeless in Japan
Number of homeless in Japan
Year Tokyo Osaka All Japan Resource
1993 1000 Estimate
1994 2000 Estimate
1996 3,500
1998 4,295 (8,660) 16,247 Ministry of welfare
1999 5,800 8,660 20,451 ˝
2001 5,600 24,090 ˝
2003 6,361 7,757 25,296 ˝
The first survey on homeless people from all over Japan
(January to March 2003) by the Health, Labor and
Welfare Ministry showed that the number of homeless
people increased by 1,296 from two years ago and that
the homeless was found in all 47 prefectures; spreading
to prefectures that had no mega cities. Below are the
details from the survey: 2
Average age = 55.9 yrs.
325
Most of them are male, only 749 are women (3,886
unspecified gender)
84.1 % of them had a fixed place of residence as follows:
Park 40.8%
Riverbanks 23.3 %
Road Side 17.2 %
Station 5.0 %
Other 13.7 %
Job type before they became homeless:
Full-time job 40 %
Daily employed workers 36.1 %
Construction 55.2 %
Manufacturing 10.5 %
Job type after they became homeless:
64.7 % have a job, and 73.3% of them gather
recycled things
49.7% want to work
13.1 % choose the lifestyle as they decide
Cause of becoming homeless (multiple answer):
Cannot find enough work 35.6 %
Laid off 32.9 %
Cannot work due to illness and old age 18.8 %
Decrease of income 16.4 %
THE STRUCTURAL CAUSE OF HOMELESS
PEOPLE
Unemployment
Unemployment is the major cause of homeless people—
they lose their jobs or cannot find jobs, or do not have
money to pay for the accommodation; thus they become
homeless. For the homeless in Japan, unemployment
does not only come from economic recession. If
economic recession is the only cause of homelessness,
the unemployed people should be able to find jobs
when the economy recovers. But the situation in Japan
is different; even when the economy recoveres, there are
still more unemployed homeless people. The economic
structural change due to globalization is the main cause
of unemployment. The homeless phenomenon does not
come from the economic recession. 3
Hideo Aoki in Homelessness in Osaka: Globalization,
Ref lections on the Human Condition: Change, Conflict and Modernity
The Work of the 2004/2005 API Fellows