170 jobless temp workers move again from public shelters

Tuesday 13th January, 03:08 AM JST

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Latest 15 of 27 Total Comments Show All

Sarge at 10:41 PM JST - 12th January

"more than 85,000 non-regular workers will have lost their jobs in the period between last October and March"

Slackers! They'd better hop on those stationary bicycles that shiuu and jwills are going to buy for them and pedal furiously!
shiuu at 06:44 AM JST - 13th January

Time for shiuu and jwills to buy some stationary bicycles?

If I had any confidence the spineless government employees in charge would actually follow through and make the tramps use them, I'd consider it.
mrhog123 at 10:31 AM JST - 13th January

Homelessness is one of Japans dirty little secrets. Go to the shore of the Sumida river, train stations especially Shinodome, or temple grounds and there is where you will find the homeless. When you become homeless you become a "unperson" and not elgiable for any social services. At least there should be a warm place to stay and decent food available.
tmarie at 11:48 AM JST - 13th January

I've spoken to many folks on this and what none of us can understand is how these temp workers who lived in cheap company dorms have no savings. What on earth did they do with their money? Company dorms cost max 20,000-40,000 a month - and I'm being nice. Toyota charges folks as little as 6000 yen a week for a decent place. Bills are seperate but in total doesn't come out of more than 4 man a month. Even if they were making 15 man a month, with expenses like food and rent taken out they still could have saved something.

Japan is a mess with this problem. People are indeed trying to help but setting up tent cities and giving out food isn't a solution. If anything is creates a bigger problem because more people will come, time ticks on and people will stop feeling sorry for these folks, the money will dry up and those homeless with still face the same problems.

I honestly think that everyone who has family in inaka needs to return home with their tails bewteen their legs and lose their attitudes about pride. Many of those "homeless" folks have family that would help them out. Pride will be, and is, the downfall of Japan.
jwills79 at 06:29 PM JST - 13th January

tmarie,

I think most got paid alot less than that. Maybe 7-8 man at the most. Your cheap housing means cheaper pay. Like you described in another post about OLs. I don't see the reasoning for paying 15 man since I have significantly reduce there living expenses.

The fact that companies offer this kind of housing for PT can be argued as making the situation worse. If companies kept them FT or gave decent pay then some real money could be saved. Those days are over. Most like in other countries are the working poor. Also with OL analogy those folks are screwed.
shiuu at 06:32 PM JST - 13th January

I've spoken to many folks on this and what none of us can understand is how these temp workers who lived in cheap company dorms have no savings.

Easy. They are irresponsible fools who give absolutely no thought to the future. My guess is most likely frittered their money away on alcohol and gambling.

Moderator: Please refrain from making inflammatory and inappropriate remarks like this.
borscht at 06:33 PM JST - 13th January

tmarie, I was thinking about that, too, the lack of savings. When I had a factory job in the US, it seemed to be a point of pride for some of my co-workers to spend their paychecks as quickly as possible. Buying, for example, a $2000 stereo system in cash. One guy even bought a small house, with the help of his father, when he was 18 and a high school dropout. Naturally, when the factory went belly-up, everyone was scrambling for another job. Most probably had zero savings.

I wouldn't be surprised if these temp workers dressed well and had all the latest gadgets. (This happens when you go from earning zero money to a lot - even 150,000 is a lot.) Still, it is 95 people out of 85,000.
jwills79 at 06:45 PM JST - 13th January

Oh, by the way my comment about liking Shiuu's. I liked it because it seems like a way for the government to kill two birds with one stone. Help keep the economy going and get these people jobs. I'm sure there is a lot of work to do. Even prisoners in US can get a job with the state. Build their morale up, keep them busy(maybe less crime&suicide) and give them hope.

Besides, I told you didn't no why at first.
dontpanic at 11:26 PM JST - 13th January

shiuu - "They are irresponsible fools who give absolutely no thought to the future. My guess is most likely frittered their money away on alcohol and gambling". You dont know anything about these people. There are tens of thousands out there right now, who through no fault of their own are being made redundant. Most will strive to get work but some, no matter how hard they try may fail and will become long term unemployed. Some may even never work again. To those who's savings have long gone, who are living from hand to mouth homeless and unemployed, alcohol and gambling may seem like the only escape route.

These people need help, not scorn. Show a little charity because there but for a simple series of happenstances and misfortunes is you.
shiuu at 02:25 AM JST - 14th January

These people need help, not scorn. Show a little charity because there but for a simple series of happenstances and misfortunes is you.

Yeah. You're right. But for that whole being responsible and planning for my future thing, it could be me ...
Sarge at 07:17 AM JST - 14th January

"setting up tent cities and giving out food isn't a solution"

But it could keep some people alive until they find work again.
dontpanic at 05:18 PM JST - 14th January

shiuu - There are no guarantees. Sometimes plans dont work out.
shiuu at 06:11 PM JST - 14th January

shiuu - There are no guarantees. Sometimes plans dont work out.

Mine seem to be working just fine so far.

I suppose some sort of natural disaster could set me back. Mere economic fluctuations, however, will not.

See, that's what it means to save for a rainy day.
dontpanic at 12:17 AM JST - 16th January

Good for you. Mine too in general. I've seen a few rainy days and coped well enough, all the time managing to not patronise anyone. But we're the lucky ones.

I suppose I dont believe anyone is immune to economic fluctuations. In view of the current one going on around the world today, it would be folly or arrogance. Spare a moment or two for those less fortunate than you. It'll make you feel a lot better.
holyman at 10:30 PM JST - 16th January

mental health is vital to human well being, maybe they have no clue of what to do. the world is full of well wishes yet action speaks . this crisis on many levels proves the one step forward two step backwards theory. True help comes when reality is met with action..action to live well. live well not just yourself but the world in general,a dream that can be a reality ;with a lot of change. there will be many more problems ahead as human nature creates not only injustice and suffering but also ignorance. many the solution is to get a good job but the reality is to survive no matter the conditions