Lost whereabouts Life on the street for more than 3 weeks "like a disaster in a snowy mountain" New Corona May 8 7:00

As the state of emergency has been extended, the lives of people who have lost their jobs or whereabouts and are forced to live on the streets are becoming more serious every day.

57-year-old man, street life, 3 weeks or more

I'm a 57-year-old man who was sleeping in a park in Shibuya-ku, Tokyo on the 1st of this month.

A man moved to Tokyo from Kyushu in his twenties and worked as a part-time worker or a temporary worker, but five years ago he could not afford to pay his rent, so he continued to live in an internet cafe while working as a day laborer.

However, after the declaration of an emergency, I couldn't find the day laboring jobs such as the relocation work of the business office and the setting up of the event site.

It is said that the online cafe has also been closed and for about three weeks since then, he has continued to live on the streets while moving around the parks in Tokyo.

"30 years since I moved to Tokyo, now is the worst"

Men buy 6 slices of bread at a 100-yen shop, eat 3 slices in the morning and 3 slices in the evening, and lick 5 or 6 candies and icing sugar during the day to keep them hungry. I was cutting a circle.

In addition, men's mobile phones are prepaid and cannot use the Internet, so they will not receive information on support measures from the national and local governments. I lost contact with my colleagues at work and was isolated in one corner of the park.

The man said, "I feel like I was in a snow mountain distress right now. I thought I would be able to find a job and manage to live by myself if the emergency declaration was lifted after the long holidays. I couldn't live without support such as public welfare. It's been 30 years since I moved to Tokyo, and now is the worst condition. "

33-year-old man "Already limit"

“Can you talk to me?” On the 30th of last month, one email arrived at the reporter's mobile phone. The sender was a 33-year-old man who met two years ago at an NPO counseling session for a poor person in Tokyo.

No income, no place to live

Men have been working at restaurants in Tokyo for over three years, staying overnight at an internet cafe, but at the beginning of last month, the owner of the restaurant told me "I want you not to go to work for a while," and nearly 200,000 yen a month. He says that his income was zero.

Since last month, I was unable to use the internet cafe because I was requested to take a leave from the city, and I lost my place.

"I haven't eaten for 3 days"

The face of the man I met for the first time in two weeks on the 1st of this month was pale, and the cheeks were sneaky.

A man who stayed overnight in a park in front of JR Ikebukuro station said, "I haven't eaten anything for three days. I have no money in my possession, and I have reached my limit."

At night, sitting on a bench in a park and sleeping for about 2 hours in a light sleep for about 3 weeks, and I was pushed both physically and mentally. I passed through. "

I did not receive "support" ...

At the end of last month, a man visited the ward office to use a business hotel that the city offers free of charge as temporary accommodation for people who lost their place due to the closure of an internet cafe, but the person in charge said `` Today is the deadline. He said, "I'm gone" and gave up.

Since I left the house with my resident card left after my parents divorced, I cannot receive the 100,000 yen benefit, and it is difficult to get a loan.

I couldn't afford to pay for my cell phone, and I was using free Wi-Fi to email reporters.

"I didn't have any information and I didn't know where to go for help. I emailed him because I wanted him to hear it. I really wanted it," he said.

Reporter's guide to the business hotel

The next day, a man visited the counseling counter in the city with the help of a reporter and was able to stay at a business hotel during the long holiday period.

I was also advised to consult with NPOs that support the poor and apply for welfare after the holidays open.

The man said, “I had an extension of the emergency declaration, and I despaired when I could work in the store. Since I was in my 30s and still working, I was reluctant to receive welfare, but I could not help myself. I didn't like it, so I decided to rely on the support of the country. "

"Necafe refugees" 4,000 people

According to the Tokyo metropolitan area, it is estimated that the number of people who live and sleep at internet cafes is about 4000 per day.

In response to a request for a holiday to the Internet cafe following the declaration of emergency, Miyako is working to provide business hotel rooms free of charge as temporary accommodation for those who have lost their place of residence. There are a total of 823 people using the hotel at.

Looking at the breakdown, 418 people staying at the hotel, applying for welfare at various welfare offices or applying at the window of the independence support system for people with disabilities, "TOKYO Challenge Net" There are 405 people who apply at the called city's window, move to private apartments, etc. one after another and aim for independent living without receiving welfare.

NPO corporation "It is hard to see the people in need."

Tokyo's NPO "Independent Living Support Center Moyai", which supports people who are in need of life, held an extraordinary consultation meeting twice a week last month while an emergency was declared. As a result, the number of consultations in interviews reached 163 in one month, and it was urgent to live without applying for welfare, such as "I have only a few hundred yen in possession money" "I lost my house or whereabouts". It means that a lot of highly qualified consultations were received.

NPO President Onishi Ren said, "There are many cases where people who have worked normally until then suddenly lost their jobs due to the spread of the infection, lost their money, and came to a consultation without help. There are many people who have not used the administrative support system so far, and we do not have enough information about where to apply and how to apply. Should be thoroughly informed. ”

In addition, “As the impact of the spread of infection spreads throughout society, it is difficult for people in need to speak out, and it is difficult to see them. Please feel free to use it, and I hope that society will gain a better understanding of the system for that purpose. "