Week4

 Week4 Relative poverty

What is relative poverty?

Unlike absolute poverty I mentioned in my last blog, relative poverty is a condition where household have less than one half of the average income. This means the person can be poor in relative sence, but not in absolute sence. This is defined in compraision to others financial situation, so it can happen in almost every countries introducing capitalism. (In communisit nations, it IS possible to eleminate financial desparities by having everything under control, but unfortunately as the history shows us, it's not the ideal economic policy) 

Relative poverty in Japan

According to ministry of health, labour and walfare, almost 15 % of people are said to have been in relative poverty,earning 1.27 million yen or less in a year. That means one in six people are financially left behind. If this situations remains unfixed for several years, then the person is in constant or persistive poverty which is extremely hard to get out from once you fall into it. (Ever lasting poverty cycle)

One of the reasons for this is that, person's educational backgrounds and carrer status (whether you are full time employee) are directly conected to your future carrer path and earnings in Japan. Therefore, children who had experienced poverty in thier childhood are less likely to have a successful future compared to the one who didn't. In these days, Japanese government are putting lots of effort to save people in need. For examole,various

scholarships options can make people easier to enjoy higher education in university.

The case in Yokohama city

Yokohama city has the largeset population in Kanagawa prefecture and has been taking lots of action to narrow the gap beteween poor and rich, especially in terms of education.12% of its population are children under the age of 18. Yokohama is known as child raising friendly city. I'll point out why by offering two examples below.

①financial assistance for school supplies (has income restriction)
②Eiken subsidies for all 9th grades
    To promote English education, the city council set the budget of 64 million yen (in 2019) offering   

     oppertunities to every students.

Is there any other things government (or individual) can do to help people in relative poverty?