Nelson Mandela International Day saw the opportunity for the Embassy to partner with the Tokyo Union Church in providing food to 200 homeless people.
Japan is considered to be a wealthy country with a fairly equal distribution of wealth. Yet, homeless people are commonly found in the parks of large cities such as Tokyo and Osaka. In Tokyo alone there are an estimated 5,000 homeless people. Japanese people tend to ignore the homeless and give them space. Many live in makeshift tents by rivers or in parks. Japanese homeless people are remarkably polite and quiet. They do not beg for money or food. The majority are men over the age of 40. read more…
