Reflections on the Human Condition - Api-fellowships.org

328 SESSION V
receive the seikatsu hogo. The third group is for those
who are assessed as unable. They can work but do not
want to work so they cannot receive any assistance.
The process of this assessment, however, is not clearly
defined.
If we consider this idea on the surface, it is very
interesting because they try to support homeless people
to survive by themselves and without relying on others.
However, if we consider the homeless situation in
Tokyo, this idea is not functional. Why?
1. Supporting the homeless for self-reliance is an
ideal. In reality, they already survive by themselves
everyday by collecting aluminum cans or books
(collecting recyclable items), or doing part-time
jobs. There is some misunderstanding if the
government thinks that they are not yet self-reliant
with what they are doing now. Or they may have
negative thinking if the government thinks they
are lazy and must be trained to work.
2. The Jiritsu shien center can only support the homeless
to find a job but cannot serve as guarantor or to
guarantee the job for them. In fact, the homeless
have to find the job by themselves. From the
statistics of job offers, it is very difficult for them
to seek regular jobs. They can only find part-time
jobs; meaning, situation will remain the same
as when they live outside the center. The center
can not sufficiently help the homeless people to
overcome homelessness.
3. Everyone needs a private space. However, when
they are put in dormitory-style room, and people
not liking to sleep with 20 strangers on bunk beds
in one room; sometimes they have a squabble. The
two-month maximum stay in the center is also not
enough.
Considering the above three reasons, this program
should be reexamined. Of the 8,577 who entered
the shelter, only 4,652 persons moved to Jiritsu shien
center. Others did not pass the assessment and some
moved out from the shelter because they did not like
the shelter. Of the 4,652 who entered the Jiritsu shien
center, only 2,152 persons or 51 % found jobs. The
homeless supporter who followed-up the group shared
that these persons only got part-time jobs that their
earning could not cover apartment rent. Only 50 % in
that group found regular jobs. Only 2,152 or 25.4 %
found jobs; and only 12.25 % found regular jobs.
The TMG officer defended the Jiritsu shien center’s
Ref lections on the Human Condition: Change, Conflict and Modernity
The Work of the 2004/2005 API Fellows
program by comparing the number of homeless people
in Tokyo, arguing that it was stagnant from the year
2000, while the number of homeless in the whole of
Japan increased. While the program was able to control
the number of homeless people in Tokyo, or some
homeless overcame their homelessness; others returned
to be homeless again and many new persons became
homeless. Although this program can not reduce the
number of homeless, it can prevent the increasing
number of homeless people. If TMG did not take
action, the situation could have been worse than the
present.
The problem is not only whether or not the Jirtisu shien
center is effective; but if this program justified eviction
as a measure to manage public areas.
The Impact of Homeless Law 2002
When the Jiritsu shien center started in November 2000,
the program was expanded to other cities and some
organizations requested budget from the government
to support the homeless and demanded for special
law to support homeless people. As a result, in August
2002, The Law Concerning Special Measure to Support
the Self-reliance of the Homeless was adopted by the
parliament.
On the positive side, the government shared concern
on the homeless situation and attempted to help them.
The Law has assigned the local government to design
measures to support the homeless people for selfreliance.
The central government supported the budget
for the program. Due to this law, the first national
survey of homeless took place for the first time the
following year and each city designed the program to
support homeless people to develop self-reliance. Jiritsu
shien center was a main focus program for most cities.
In Tokyo, the TMG planned to build five Jiritsu shien
centers but as mentioned above, the Jiritsu shien center
was ineffective because it could not provide the jobs for
the homeless.
Article 11 of the Law allows the manager of any public
institution/facility, such as municipal government and
public park, to take necessary actions to protect the
facilities for appropriate use. It means that this law
allows public authorities to evict the homeless for the
“appropriate use” according to their own definition.
In the same Article 11, although it stipulates that such
action shall be performed in line with the measures to
support self-reliant living of the homeless, this measure
is only legitimate for the eviction. It is not effective
enough for homeless people in a long term. 12