Nearly 150 homeless people have uneasy New Year's Day in Tokyo park

Friday 02nd January, 06:20 AM JST

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BlackFlag at 01:58 PM JST - 2nd January

No, I think you must be seriously lacking in common sense, Exactly what kind of job are they going to apply for dressed like a bum...?

you haven't seen many Japanese homeless, for the most part they are very presentable and proud. Also many of them will have been very recently made homeless so not had time for the 'bumification' you expect to take place.
sageb1 at 02:25 PM JST - 2nd January

they r homeless not crazy
mindovermatter at 05:50 PM JST - 2nd January

you haven't seen many Japanese homeless, for the most part they are very presentable and proud.

Unfortunately, I've seen plenty of them. Our volunteer group regularly passes out rice balls and other simple foods in Yokohama and Tokyo to homeless.
solarbuster at 06:23 PM JST - 2nd January

If the government think they will only have 85,000 unemployed they are in for a big shock by March 2009 they could have more than twice that many. It is not only unskilled workers losing jobs it is right across the board and for each skilled worker sacked at least 3 unskilled workers will lose their jobs. As to those 85,000 not driving the economy don't be so sure, many are people who were running small business and local economies are dying fast in Japan as younger people move to central cities looking for work.
Badsey at 08:59 PM JST - 2nd January

I also believe it is just the start of the tent cities. --> 100s --> 1,000s --> 10,000s (fall 2009)
jhk at 09:06 PM JST - 2nd January

I've never done this before, but if anyone needs a temporary place to stay, in the Shibuya area: 090-4206-9111.
BlackFlag at 09:25 PM JST - 2nd January

Unfortunately, I've seen plenty of them. Our volunteer group regularly passes out rice balls and other simple foods in Yokohama and Tokyo to homeless.

do you call them bums and berate them whilst you do it?
Badsey at 09:32 PM JST - 2nd January

it's ok to call them bums -until you are one. Fight the hands that feed you they say.

Anyway becoming a bum/out-of-work/homeless is a growing demographic these days.
nandakandamanda at 09:51 PM JST - 2nd January

Weird quote from above article: "The government has estimated that 85,012 temporary workers and other non-regular employees in Japan could lose their jobs between October and next March..."

ESTIMATED? Plus or minus? Not 85,011 and not 85,013? So how did they come up with an estimate of "and 12"???
shiuu at 11:13 PM JST - 2nd January

I've never done this before, but if anyone needs a temporary place to stay, in the Shibuya area: 090-4206-9111.

Thanks. I'll pass it along to to the crazy guy who keeps using our sidewalk as his urinal.
scottdavene at 12:37 AM JST - 3rd January

I have experienced the misery of homelessness at several points in my life and, although there is a certain sense of freedom to it, it is a dangerous and miserable lifestyle that is hard to rise out of. I always give them a dollar or two for the privilege of photographing them. Usually, I am surprised by their cheerfulness and sense of pride. Often, they will show themselves to have some kind of talent. There is a fine line between genius and insanity.
rurika at 05:50 AM JST - 3rd January

people should save money when they have accomodation provided to them.. I find it so hard to believe that people have to go homeless the same month they go jobless. It's just like those English teachers last year when the English school went under. There's nothing wrong with living for today, but there's nothing wrong to save some as well..

ichinensei, this is good advice except that many people can barely make ends meet these days. Saving money isn't an option for them.
presto345 at 06:30 PM JST - 3rd January

Even those who have problems making arrangements for their future, finding themselves out in the street all of a sudden, deserve our sympathy.
memyselfI at 08:49 PM JST - 4th January

Brace yourself if anyone works at a Japanese Company. I am definitely worried about my career. The news really doesn't want to cover it that much but it's a serious problem. They rather show Happy New Year festivities.

At Hibiya Park in front of the Imperial Hotel, one of the country’s most luxurious hotels, people who have nowhere to stay lined up in cold winds near a temporary tent city Hopefully the hotel guests will get an rude awakening of reality. Because if you do not help the average middle class or poor people soon they (rich people ) will be eventually poor too !!!! Sometimes I really do not understand society, why does a person have to pay so much for just an hotel room ? Why ?
memyselfI at 08:55 PM JST - 4th January

Today, I turned on the idiot box. Usually i try not to. But I wanted to catch up on current events. If you haven't been watching t.v. lately it's really funny to see sports legends, comedians or actors win a automobile, special golf clubs, vacation trip, or a large amounts of cash. Then you watch the television and people are dirt poor and nothing in their pockets and stomachs grow empty. But these televisions shows need to stop doing that. Now really does these actors or comedians need money that badly. Do they really need 5 automobiles and special golf clubs. Homeless families, homeless children what is going on with today's society. This is not just Japan, I am talking about the world.