Japan to reinforce efforts to encourage recluses to work

January 12, 2018

Tokyo- The Japanese labor ministry will strengthen efforts in fiscal 2018 to encourage people who tend to isolate themselves from society to enter the workforce.

The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare will provide financial assistance to municipalities that offer support to such social recluses through visits to their homes.

The government's budget plan for the fiscal year starting in April sets aside 580 million yen for the initiative, part of an existing project to help the needy acquire abilities to get jobs.

According to a survey by the Cabinet Office, the number of young people in Japan who stay at home and isolate themselves from society was estimated at some 540,000 as of December 2015.

In many cases, such people find it difficult to come out even though municipalities urge them to take part in work-related events, such as seminars for learning manners as members of society. Municipalities also often fail to find nearby companies that can provide job trial opportunities for stay-at-homes.

To improve the situation, the ministry will promote the approach of having municipality officials visit the recluses at their homes, hear stories from them and their families and directly talk them into taking workplace experiences in their neighborhoods.

The ministry hopes that working at local shops, community centers and nearby farms will allow the recluses to feel job satisfaction and prompt them to get real jobs at companies. It will also help match stay-at-homes with companies willing to offer job trial opportunities.

The ministry is considering the option of consigning the home visits to nonprofit organizations that are supporting people isolating themselves from society. Jiji Press