Japan’s poverty gap has politicians calling for rise in minimum wage, By Gavin Blair, August 14, 2012, Christian Science Monitor: “Having failed to graduate from high school in a country that places significant emphasis on education and where 92 percent of the population graduates, Hiro knew his prospects of a steady job in a Japanese company were slim. But, he says, ‘I never thought it would be this bad. I didn’t ever expect to be rich, but I never thought it would be this tough,’ says the 27-year-old, who asked to be identified only by his first name out of respect to his family. Still, regarding himself as a hard worker, he estimated he could earn a decent wage with his hands. Following four years of regular employment in an automotive parts company when he left school, Hiro has spent seven years working where and when he can. Unable to find regular, full-time employment, he works at factories, construction sites, and anywhere else he is sent by a temporary agency, earning 160,000-180,000 yen ($1,580-1,980) a month, when there is work. Hiro represents a growing number of Japanese living below the poverty line…”
Poverty-related issues in the news, from the Institute for Research on Poverty