Social Supports on Starting a New Life for People in Debt

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The rate of consumer bankruptcy is increasing. The number of consumer bankruptcy in 2002 was 214,636 23 times greater than in 1989. Okinawa prefecture has the highest consumer bankruptcy and court meditation total by population in Japan. The purpose of this study was to clarify social supports for people in debt. The subjects of this survey were over-indebted people in Okinawa. The main cause of debt in Okinawa was the highest unemployment rate, divorce rate, and the lowest average income.Debt is becoming a serious risk, especially for low-income families. This survey found the main cause of borrowing money was the lack of living costs. The survey also recognized that the reasons to borrow differ by age and gender. Therefore consumer education must be developed according to age and gender. The subjects stated they have troubles such as unemployment, low-income, inefficient education for children, housing problems, health problems, and bad family relationships in addition to money problems. Since some people cannot pay the national security fees like health insurance they cannot see a doctor; or thet cannot pay the national pension, so they will not get retirement benefits in the future. Such people are socially excluded from the mainstream.Solving consumer bankruptcy or court meditation legally is not the fundamental solution for changing low-income or unemployment, which was the main cause of over-debts. To solve such poverty, social supports, employment education, housing, social network, flexible adaptation of national assistance and low interest loans are needed.