Reflections on the Human Condition - Api-fellowships.org

334 SESSION V
land and expropriation in the case of private land.
If comparing to Thailand, even the high price of
land is the big problem for urban poor but the
government has no measure to intervene the land
market, the access to the land is preceded by the
market price only. Thus in the case of the private
land, it is very hard to solve.
CONCLUSION
This paper is to represent experiences and attempt of
government unit to resolve the “problem” which, the
author, does not ensure that the definition of this word
will appropriate to use in their situation or not. Perhaps
all the whole difficulties facing arisen from the bad
emotion that the homeless are some kind of problem.
Moreover, we may have further question on to whom
this problem should belong, where it starts from, and
who causes this. Especially, it is not accurate that for
the government sector, they have the sincere motivation
to elevate the homeless’ life quality, or their effort to
demolish those homeless as if dirty articles of the city.
The most worried point of this study is, if the government
sectors claim all assistance supporting program raised,
homeless people must accept all the conditions which
will lead to the severe serious state such as the occurrence
of eviction in Tokyo.
Next study is about the review both in the case of the
homeless in Tokyo or the squatted slums in Manila.
Though there is the attempt to issue the specific act of
law, with the positive objective, it brings the complex
problem happen e.g. the right to eliminate homeless
people out of their behold place with the policies
settled, although those policies are made under the
acceptance of the homeless or not. Like the case in the
Philippines, the law allows government officers to evict
slum community if the budget is approved and ready
to run.
The sharing point of these two case studies is to point
out to the restriction of problem resolution under the
condition of market factor. The problem on squatting
land by slum community in the Philippines, represents
clearly that the main obstacle in land price makes the
poor cannot pay for the city’s land where in high price.
The same to the homeless case in Japan, they are pushed
to look for their own job under the circumstance of the
elderly age effected and the less available position, causes
them to be barricaded from the labor sources, and also
unable to find the work and living place.
For this reason, if we have truly awareness that the
Ref lections on the Human Condition: Change, Conflict and Modernity
The Work of the 2004/2005 API Fellows
problem cannot be settled by the market mechanism
of capitalism solely, we have necessarily to seek for
the optional way to manage in other vision and try
to live along well in the society including the sharing
opportunity of the poor to be in the same place.
Anyhow, we ought to understand in differences of
lifestyle and various reasons to push many people
becoming the homeless. Though this understanding
does not effect in concrete term, at least, it is the
beginning step of participation, no discrimination or
prejudice, and without excluding them from the city.
Notes
1 In the process of this research in Tokyo,I wish to
special thank to Prof. Yoshinori Murai, Director of
Institue of Asian Cultures, Sophia University, Prof.
Peter Shimokawa and Nojiren. I am sorry that I can
not mention all their name here, Nevertheless, the
limitations of the study are my responsibility.
2 The Japan Times, March 27, 2003:2
3 Shimokawa, 2003:46
4 Aoki , 2003:364-374
5 Kennett and Iwata, 2003:62-74
6 Okamoto et al. 2004:5
7 http://homepage3.nifty.com/shelter-less/english/
seravip.html
8 Yuasa, 2001:149 and The Japan Times, February 18,
1994:2
9 The Japan Times, January 25, 1996:1-2
10 The Japan Times, January 30, 1996:3
11 http://www.jca.apc.org/nojukusha and The Japan Times,
February 8, 1998:2
12 Shimikawa, 2003:46 and The Japan Times, July 30,
2002:3
13 In the process of this research in the Philippines, I
received much assistance from many organizations
and individuals. I wish to express my special thanks to
the community leaders who gave me their ideas and
opinions. I am sorry that I can not mention all their
names here, however, I would like to say thank you very
much for Emmanuel Boy Marcelino of the Community
Organizers Multiversity (COM) who gave me many
suggestions and often discussed with me to improve
my understanding. Nevertheless, the limitations of the
study are my responsibility.
14 Karaos , Gatpatan and Hotz, 1995