Union Says Japanese Workers Sleep in Internet Cafes: Report

By Spencer D. Chin

TMCnet Web Editor

 

The Internet café has become ubiquitous as a hang-on spot for young people worldwide, but lately it has become a place for young people to camp out overnight as well.

 

A disturbing online report quoting the Mainichi Daily News found that more young people in Japan are regularly staying overnight at Internet cafes, either because they can't rent an apartment, or are too busy working to go home, said a survey conducted by a Tokyo-based labor union for part-time workers.

According to the report, the trend had started in and around Tokyo, but is now spreading throughout Japan. The country’s Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry is set to investigate the situation, viewing it as another problem involving poverty.

"Young temporary workers, who have difficulties bringing in a stable income and renting an apartment, are regularly staying at Internet cafes. Government organizations should give them some support before insisting they should be self-reliant," an official from the Shutoken Seinen Union, which conducted the survey, was quoted as saying.

 

To call attention to the plight of the workers, the union plans to hold a rally at Meiji Park in Tokyo on May 20, the report said.

The union reportedly conducted the survey on young people using 34 Internet cafes in 19 districts in 10 of Japan’s prefectures -- Miyagi, Chiba, Saitama, Tokyo, Kanagawa, Aichi, Nara, Osaka, Hyogo and Fukuoka.

The survey reported at least one young person is regularly staying overnight at 26 cafes in 10 prefectures. At least 10 others are staying over a long period at one café, the report said.

The union also interviewed 85 people regularly staying overnight at Internet cafes. Aside from those unable to rent an apartment in the first place, it found that many full-time employees with apartments are forced to constantly stay overnight at Internet cafes because their work hours are too long for them to go home, according to the report.

One 24 year-old Japanese worker, living at an Internet cafe in Tokyo for two years, said his monthly income of 200,000 yen is too unstable to afford an apartment. The worker was quoted as saying at least 30 young people stay at the cafe for similar reasons.

According to the report, it costs about 200 to 300 yen to use an Internet cafe for an hour. Some cafes enable people to stay overnight for about 1,500 yen.

Spencer Chin is a contributing editor for TMCnet. To see more of his articles, please visit his columnist page.