Experimental Study of the Particularity of Homelessness in Japan: the Unemployment Issues of the Single Middle-Aged Workers

本研究的目的是调查无家可归者的状况，作为单身中年工人的失业问题，并展示日本无家可归者的特殊性。这项研究试图为那些不情愿无家可归的人提供一些解决方案和可能的支持方法。为了实现这一目标，它重新审查了显示川崎市2002年露宿者生活状况的三项调查(由川上雅子进行)。这三项调查是：针对食品供应企业注册人的调查；针对食品供应企业用户的调查；以及针对机构用户的调查。研究围绕以下几点展开：(1)考量了流浪人员与流浪者的社会特征差异；(2)从人口普查、劳动统计、川崎市相关个人意见听证会等方面，按时间顺序考察了川崎市劳动积累与就业现状的变化；(3)设定了围绕川崎市发展的庆新工业区无家可归人口的研究对象，将流浪化视为更广泛的失业问题。通过前述观点，本研究得出了两个结果。首先，虽然临时工曾经是川崎市的主要劳动力资源，但自20世纪90年代后半期以来，由于该地区的现代化/正常化、临时工的削减以及重点产业的搬迁/破产，就业机会绝对减少。其次，将无家可归者重新定义为城市工人而不是临时工，很明显，无家可归现象正以两种方式扩散--地区和社会阶层。在日本，无家可归者是那些想工作但找不到任何工作的人。必须认识到无家可归者的这些状况。

The purpose of this study is to investigate the conditions among the homeless as the unemployment issues of the single middle-aged workers and to demonstrate the particularity of homelessness in Japan. This study seeks to present some solutions and possible methods of support for those who reluctantly become homeless. In order to achieve this goal, it reexamined three survey which displayed results regarding the conditions of rough sleepers' life in Kawasaki-city in 2002 (conducted by Kawakami Masako). The three surveys are; the survey for the registrants of the food supply business; the survey for the users of the food supply business: and the survey for the users of the institution. They are conducted in relation to the following points; (1) The difference between the social characteristics of those institutionalized individuals and street sleepers is considered; (2) From census, the labor statistics, some hearings of the views of relevant individuals in Kawasaki-city etc., the change of the labor accumulation and the employment current in Kawasaki-city is chronologically examined; and (3) Setting the research target of the homeless population in the Keihin Industrial district developing around Kawasaki-city, homeless-ization is considered as the broader issues of unemployment. Through the aforementioned point, this study obtained two results. First, although the day workers used to be the essential labor resource in Kawasaki-city, the employment opportunity has reduced absolutely since the latter half of 1990s, due to the modernization/normalization of the district, the cutback of casual labor, and the relocation/bankruptcy of the key industries. Second, redefining the homeless as city worker as opposed to day worker, it becomes clear that homelessness is diffusing in two ways-area and social class. The homeless in Japan are those who want to work but cannot obtain any job. These conditions among the homeless have to be recognized.