Yomiuri: Ethiopian expats find chance for better life in Katsushika Ward
...Tadesse Gebre, 38, and his wife live in a six-tatami-mat room on the third floor of a small, shabby building among a row of izakaya pubs near Keisei Tateishi Station...Gebre came to Japan 16 years ago as an athlete, twice winning the Hokkaido Marathon for a corporate team. Since retiring from running, he has been driving a truck and collecting plastic bottles to make money. His 27-year-old wife came here after the two married eight years ago. She works at a factory making bento boxed meals. The couple pays 45,000 yen a month for the room and has to share a bath with other residents in the building. They said their dream is to save money to buy a house in the suburbs and bring over their two young sons who live with relatives in Ethiopia...more...