Over 1.6 million people on welfare, up 62,000 amid economic slump

Friday 03rd April, 05:40 AM JST

TOKYO —

A total of 1,618,543 people were receiving welfare benefits nationwide as of January, up about 62,000 from a year earlier against the backdrop of a weakening economy, data compiled by the welfare ministry showed Thursday.

The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare said that the number of recipients was up by 12,000 since last December, due partly to the fact that more and more nonregular and laid-off workers applied for the welfare program. Elderly people living alone and single-mother families are also believed to have joined the program. The number of households on welfare as of January stood at 1,168,000, up 52,000 from the previous year.

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7 Comments

DJJapan at 11:37 AM JST - 3rd April

Yes, but welfare is what we have already paid for out of our taxes and can only receive it for a couple of months before we move onto something else. Over the years that we pay into the welfare system we don't get this back in full in Japan unless we keep changing jobs every few years. Part time workers also aren't entitled to it either so I don't understand what a "non-regular" worker is?
saruzenki at 11:40 AM JST - 3rd April

So what happend to Aso's promise that Japan would be the first nation to recover from the global economic crisis ? Seems the US has already turned the corner with the Dow JOnes rocketing almost 1000 points in a little over a month !
roomtemperature at 12:52 PM JST - 3rd April

" Seems the US has already turned the corner with the Dow JOnes rocketing almost 1000 points in a little over a month !"

In a little over a month.....Saruzenki.....in a little over a month you say? Well, just be happy for now, I'd say.
DJJapan at 01:41 PM JST - 3rd April

A blip of improvement in the radar screen isn't going to change anything overnight. The world still has someway to go yet. A week or 2 of good dow results isn't a reflection on the reality of what's really going on.
some14some at 04:51 PM JST - 3rd April

More than 62m people (work force) are paying welfare and other premiums and ONLY 1.6m are getting that too to due to unreasonable layoffs. So, i don't see any concerns for the govt.
saruzenki at 10:32 PM JST - 29th April

"In a little over a month.....Saruzenki.....in a little over a month you say? Well, just be happy for now, I'd say."

And for now ? The Dow continues a slow and steady climb, as predicted by some of us. Just think roomtemperature, if you had gotten into the market when it hit 6,500, you'd be up a handsome sum by now. And, like myself, if you'd bought that Chugai pharmaceutical at the time... well a 227 point increase in one day aint bad. But hey, I'm sure you know best.. smirk.
saruzenki at 04:52 PM JST - 6th May

Odd, no news from roomtemperature as the Dow closes in on 8,500. A bit of a surprise I believe. I mean here we are only in early May, I didn't expect these numbers till the end of the month !