The Tokyo Metropolitan Government will launch a program later this month to rent out rooms in private apartments and public housing to the capital's homeless, who number more than 5,000.
In a joint project with Tokyo's 23 special wards, the metro government said in February that it would rent out 2,000 apartment rooms in the next two years to people who currently live in Tokyo's parks.
Designed to promote an "entry to local community" for the homeless, it will be the first such program by local governments nationwide. Under the program, homeless people can live in modest-size apartments for around 3,000 yen per month for at least two years.
