Slumming it in Japan

[Steve Bildermann]

The Kamagasaki Gallery

Kamagasaki, is the largest slum in Japan. Located in the south end of downtown Osaka, Kamagasaki is a one square kilometer "city within a city". It is the home to some thirty thousand day labor workers, some three thousand homeless, and close to ninety yakuza (Japanese Mafia) offices. There are almost no social benefits for the people in Kamagasaki, and like the elderly workers that live here, the town is dying.

http://www.icpress.com/Gallery/Kama/index.html

Who lives in Kamagasaki?

Many that live in Kamagasaki, have turned their backs to Japan incorporated. They feel that it was their job to "create" the infrastructure for the nation, but not theirs to run it. As long as they can work, they would be happy to stay away from the rest of the world.
Some grew up in poverty, and some found poverty (especially in the last few years, with the low economy), and came to this town to try to work their way out of poverty. Some have succeeded, most have not.

[Akisa]

It seems to me that the poorest people in the struggle are always the most interesting.

[nullpointer]

This is something I never knew about. I thought that Japan had homeless people to the extent of those living outside major stations or places like under the the Kawasaki bridge. But I guess you have to move outside of Tokyo to see large settlements like these.

[Molokidan]

Homeless, as far as I have observed, seem to be more or less ignored in Japan, which is not really a surprise. There is a homeless guy in Hita that sleeps on the same bench, under the same bus stop roof thingy every day, in perfect sight of the public. He is always there when I walk by him, anyway. People just stand around him, and no one asks him to leave, either.

[DJEB]

Their destitution is just one more violation of the Constitution:

Article 25. All people shall have the right to maintain the minimum standards of wholesome and cultured living.
In all spheres of life, the State shall use its endeavors for the promotion and extension of social welfare and security, and of public health.