Homeless...again

[anjinsan]

Looks like the Japanese police in Osaka are doing a bit of housecleaning: http://mdn.mainichi-msn.co.jp/national/news/20060130p2a00m0na012000c.html

This reminds me of when the World Cup was held in Atlanta/Birmingham in the US. Vagrants were given 50 dollars to take the bus out of town for the week. It doesn't look as if the blue-tent-village guys in Osaka castle will get even 50 yen.

 

[MajideSaiaku]

there was a nice vast open bit of ground i passed on a train once, it only had one blue tent, maybe the homeless could come live there in peace.

Blue tents.....they seem to have more "home" then the usual homeless im used to back in my home country, they has have doorways to bed in.

 

[thomas]

Sorry for reviving an old thread, but here's a related topic ...and a disturbing new trend: the takeover of public domain by multinationals in Japan.

G8 Dispatches: What Does Nike Have to do with Tokyo's Homeless

Like many other foreigners, we arrived in Japan holding stereotypes of Japan as a prosperous country, not one where tens of thousands of people live in the streets. Surprised by the level of visible poverty and homelessness we saw, we realized our assumptions were wrong. The next question was how to write about the issues of homelessness and displacement with relation to the policies of the G8 and international financial institutions. Last night the answer to this question appeared.

Under the bright-as-day glow of bustling Shibuya Square, we had the honor of meeting organizers from Miyashita Park. Used for a wide range of activities by the community and activists during the day, Miyashita Park is home to dozens of people by night. But change is on the horizon for the park: it has been sold by the municipality to Nike.

Yup, Nike. The brand name, the sneaker, the swoosh that just does it. Nike has bought the park. It is private now, no longer the domain of the people of the neighborhood. Nike is in the process of building walls to keep out the community, and of course closing it at night so it is no longer anyone's home. Privatization of parks by international corporations, causing more displacement and homelessness - thanks, Nike, for helping us make the connection.

More here