ABSTRACT
Homelessness became a real problem in Japan in the 1990s, when the ‘bubble economy’ burst. With the enactment of the Law on Special Measures to Support the Independence of the Homeless (2002), however, the number of rough sleepers in particular has been continuously and dramatically decreasing in Japan, though invisible homelessness is likely increasing. Set in the country’s unique context, this chapter examines the relationship between homelessness and housing policy in Japan and explores the central characteristic of ‘employment independence’ that is so important in Japanese policy. The chapter studies the position of people living on the streets, homelessness demographics in the country, and tracks the key changes in homelessness policy in Japan. The chapter considers the challenges facing housing policy in Japan from the perspective of ‘housing security’.
