Households on welfare hit record high in November

February 7, 2018

Tokyo- The number of households on welfare in Japan in November last year rose by 64 from the previous month to 1,642,971, hitting a record high for the seventh consecutive month, the welfare ministry said Wednesday.

The growth reflected an increase in elderly recipients, who are aged 65 and over.

The number of recipient households came to 1,634,487, excluding those for which welfare payments have been suspended.

Of this total, households made up of only elderly members and those composed of elderly members and people aged under 18 numbered 865,564, or 53 pct. Of them, one-person households accounted for about 90 percent.

The number of recipient households headed by sick, injured or disabled members came to 420,251, and that of families consisting single mothers and children under 18 stood at 92,660. Jiji Press