As the effects of the new coronavirus continue for a long time, there are many people in Tokyo who have no choice but to rely on the support of "dispatching", which provides free meals.
According to NHK's interview, at least eight private organizations have increased the number of people receiving support even after the state of emergency has been lifted, and the number of people per month has reached a record high.
Experts point out that "the impact is becoming more serious and urgent action is needed," as the number of people working in non-regular employment is increasing.
Since the end of September, the state of emergency has been lifted in Tokyo, and the infection status of the new coronavirus has improved significantly, and daily life is gradually returning.
However, when NHK interviewed private support groups that prepare meals in Tokyo, only one of the 17 groups that received answers said that the number of people receiving support decreased, which is almost half. It was found that the eight groups are still on the increase.
Looking at the three organizations that collect statistics, the total number of people last month was 2,457, the highest since April last year when the first state of emergency was declared.
Compared to the time of April last year, it has more than tripled.
The number of people last month exceeded the record after the Lehman shock, and some groups have reached a record high.
According to several support groups that also provide life counseling, the number of people who work in non-regular employment is mainly increasing, and the shift of work has been reduced, and the employment environment has not improved even now. Seems to be in the background.
Ikebukuro's soup kitchen The appearance of younger generations and women
今月11日に豊島区東池袋の公園で行われた炊き出しには合わせて450人余りが訪れ、若い世代や女性の姿も目立ちました。
主催したNPO法人の「TENOHASI」では、毎月2回この公園で炊き出しを行っていますが、初めての緊急事態宣言が出された後の去年6月以降、訪れる人が増える傾向が続いているということです。
そして先月は合わせて906人と、リーマンショック後の2009年7月に記録した810人を上回り過去最多となりました。
この日も1回当たりの人数としては過去3番目の多さで、会場は夕方から長蛇の列ができ、中には2時間以上待ったという人もいました。
用意された酢豚弁当など450食分はすべてなくなり、提供を受けられない人もいたということで、NPOでは代わりに飲食店のチケットを配って対応していました。
また、会場では生活相談も行っていますが、NPOによりますと最近増えているのは非正規雇用で働く人たちで、初めて炊き出しに並んだという人も少なくないということです。
特に、貯金を取り崩したり、国から当面の生活費を借りられる制度を利用したりしてなんとか生活してきたものの、ここへきて立ち行かなくなったという人が目立つとしています。
炊き出しに並んでいた人のうち、デパートで契約社員として働く30代の男性は、シフトが少ない時は週3日の生活が1年半ほど続いているといいます。
男性は「ことしは新型コロナが収束して以前のような生活に戻れると思っていましたが、シフトが減ったままでまだまだ収入が少なく、炊き出しに並ぶほど生活は厳しいです。なるべく早くここに頼らなくても生活できるようになりたい」と話していました。
Kenji Kiyono, the representative director of "TENOHASI," said, "Most of the people who visited here used to be street sleepers, but now I have the impression that people, including young women, who are on the verge of losing their homes are gathering. A person who was in a difficult position managed to walk on a tightrope, but the rope was cut off by the new corona, and the situation is that there is no choice but to secure one meal by cooking. , I feel that there are limits to what an organization like us can do. "
Expert "Expansion of safety net regardless of employment form"
Professor Tadashi Sakai of Hosei University, who is familiar with labor issues, said that there is a special case of "employment adjustment subsidy" in which a part of the leave allowance etc. is subsidized when the company keeps employment of employees after the spread of the new coronavirus infection. It is said that the increase in the unemployment rate has been suppressed compared to the time of the Lehman shock due to the government's implementation of measures.
On the other hand, as the effects of the new coronavirus continue to prolong, there are a number of cases in which non-regular employees work with fewer shifts in their work, but their income does not recover and their lives become more difficult.
Professor Sakai said, "The number of people in need of unemployment, which are hard to see in the statistics, is increasing, and the increase in the number of people visiting soup kitchens is thought to reflect this situation. There is an urgent need to expand the safety net that does not exist. "