JJapan

80% of lower-income families in Japan say financial situation getting worse

  • July 5, 2025

80% of lower-income families in Japan say financial situation getting worse

by moeka_8962

9 comments

  1. The coming election will be interesting to watch. Generally, turnout is pretty low. But maybe there are enough frustrated voters to swing for the populists.

    Koizumi did a good job with the rice crisis but we are approaching the ¥200 at the vending machines now.

  3. Couple of takes here about current Japanese policy:

    1. I read the other day about a Supreme Court decision where grandparents lost their government assistance because their grandson, who was living with them, got a part-time job. His income raised the household total above the threshold for eligibility, causing them to lose the support.

    Here is the story: [https://www.tokyoweekender.com/japan-life/news-and-opinion/japanese-couple-denied-welfare-after-grandson-takes-part-time-job/](https://www.tokyoweekender.com/japan-life/news-and-opinion/japanese-couple-denied-welfare-after-grandson-takes-part-time-job/)

    The Japanese system is a catch-22, damned if you do, damned if you don’t. Around 30% of the population is elderly, and many of those who are working aren’t paid well. Meanwhile, the government gives financial assistance to us foreigners, even when we didn’t ask for it or need it.

    2. I came here almost 3 years ago. My wife and I each received ¥30,000 the first year and ¥100,000 the second year. Why? We came as students on student visas, and we had to prove that we could support ourselves for the entire period we planned to stay in order to come here. We also needed sponsors in case we messed up. The system needs to be reviewed, they should prioritize their citizens and permanent residents, because it is creating a hate for us foreigners because of the government wrong take on assistance.

    Here is the story: [https://youtu.be/Nxst2RilTLI?si=0VjhcWC-ETDwNVCr](https://youtu.be/Nxst2RilTLI?si=0VjhcWC-ETDwNVCr)

  4. Just blame the gaijin and all their problems will magically be solved. It works for the government.

  6. Water is wet. Details at 22:00.

    I am a member of various activity circles. Everybody is taking a hit: singles, couples, with/without kids, pensioneers, white/blue-collar workers, Japanese/foreigners. **Everybody**. Some may have more margin than others, but all are taking hits after hits after hits.

    The foreigner-scapegoating thing is utter BS. If it wasn’t for foreigners it would be low-income households/pensioneers/single-parent families/people with chronic diseases/students with subventions/etc/etc/etc.

    This is just nonsense and diversions, the **real** problem is are decades of LDP-governments only looking out to stuff their pockets throwing money the government doesn’t have on ridiculous and failed projects to keep Japan Inc happy while the plebs only see tax-raises coming their way to make up for the losses.

    Kick the LDP out, sanitize the budget of all fluff, ego-trips, pork-barrelled politics, shiny useless toys, projects we can’t afford and other matsuri-type of events and we’ll see where we **really** are standing.

  8. Just print more money and give people one-time deposits of ¥60,000 or so. Lots of people seemed dumb enough to cheer for that before. Funnily enough, they are the same people who are suffering from the effects of inflation now and will cheer yet again when the money gets debased yet again.

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