Daily Lessons from Life 04 August 2010 - Millions of Japanese trapped in 'hidden poverty'

"Millions of Japanese trapped in 'hidden poverty' - Wed, Aug 04, 2010 AFP

TOKYO - Consumer gluttony, astronomic real-estate prices and jobs for life were once normal in Japan -- but today the country also has millions of poor people desperately struggling to make ends meet.

Two decades after Japan's wealth bubble popped, its citizens have got used to higher unemployment and homeless people sleeping in the streets. Statistics released for the first time last year held yet another surprise.


Nearly one in six Japanese lives below the poverty line -- meaning they earn less than half the median household income, or less than 1,830 dollars for a four-person family -- in a country that prides itself on its egalitarianism."

This is a shocking revelation. At least officially and publicly as my buddy in Japan said many of his ex-colleagues and colleagues had that sinking feeling for a while now. It is also true that there are many more homeless people sleeping in the streets or the parks or at the government office buildings in the night and clearing out before the fortunate gainfully employed people move in!

It is modern economy system went awry? Maybe we need to examine fundamentally if the current model make sense to begin with?

Lessons for me are:

1. is this world really suitable for EVERY nation to be industrializing? is it a MUST that everyone be living in high rise, modern, and urban bulging cities? these are questions that public administrators and government officials must ponder, and ponder hard, as it seems every government wants to urbanize and industrialize and catch up with the USA, the decaying Europe, the rising China and India, etc...;

2. what is the choice for Singapore? A nation many times smaller than Japan. Much less world beating companies. Much smaller land area to live on. What happened when there is NO JOB in Singapore? What will Singaporeans and residents of Singapore do? A scary proposition. A question that perhaps the brilliant government officials can ponder over and provide some sort of perspective and solutions?;

3. Singapore has diversified and try to diversify into areas that will create jobs. It is also pursuing economics growth. Property development and construction is one area that generate a lot of jobs and economics activities due to its extensive links to the upstream and downstream business activities. e.g. raw materials, construction, design and architects, engineers, property agents, banks, etc, etc. But what if we hit saturation? Redevelopment? Turn down the old and build new ones on the same piece of land and reproduce the productive cycle?

Someone told me that in Singapore we already have many people living below the poverty line. However, I do not see the official numbers so I cannot accept it. Truth be told that only those who really live below the poverty line will know. Maybe they can let more people know if they are really in such dire straits.

I have no solution to the question I just raised. Suffice to say I have very little needs and am healthy to lead a normal urban lifestyle - thus far. And hopefully many more good years to come.