5,400 Japanese Living in Internet Cafes

[felix]

Survey: 5,400 Homeless, Jobless Japanese Live In Net Cafés

August 28, 2007 2:58 p.m. EST

Windsor Genova - AHN Writer

Tokyo, Japan (AHN) - In Japan, the Internet café has become a substitute for home. A survey of Japan's ministry of health indicated that the number of people who sleeps over at 24-hour Internet cafes for having no home or job total 5,400 nationwide, the Kyodo News reported.

The Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare's findings disclosed on Tuesday reveals what could be a widening of the rich-poor gap in Asia's richest country.

The survey was conducted from June to July this year on 1,700 sleep-over customers at 87 Net cafes across Japan with the aim of counting the so-called "Net café refugees. The survey also interviewed 362 people outside such cafes in Tokyo and Osaka.

Based on the survey, 27 percent of the Net café refugees are in their 20s while 23 percent are in their 50s. Half of the total number work on day jobs.

The ministry found that eight percent of the survey interviewees sleep in Net café because they have no homes.

In Tokyo, 58 percent of the refugees are short-term laborers earning an average monthly income of $953 while 17 percent are unemployed. Refugees in Osaka earn $683 a month. More than 40 percent of the Tokyo and Osaka refugees have experienced sleeping on the street.

The survey also found that of the refugees in Tokyo, 33 percent lost their homes while 20 percent left dorms and live-in housing after quitting their jobs.

Officials of the ministry said they will help Net café refugees by introducing them to workplaces with dormitories.

A report by AFP said Internet cafes in Japan offer sofas and showers, serve food and drinks, and even sell underwear to businessmen on break or stranded commuters. But young day laborers have taken advantage of the cheap amenities and stay there round-the-clock instead of renting and living in apartments.

[Lonely Soldier Boy]

It is not a bad deal, sleeping in a net cafe.

Generally well-placed and in a central location, sleeping there all night might not cost more than 2000 yen - which is a pittance compared to what one may pay otherwise.

It beats the alternative - sleeping outside on the ground (which many people do)

[rogerrabbit168]

I'm pretty sure there's lots of other countries with even more homeless people living in internet cafes

[dell]

I've been to these internet cafes and they are amazing. Its great for students or tourists who don't wanna break the bank. I'd rather crash at one of these nice places then an expensive hotel or even a capsule hotel where you sleep in a hole in the wall.

[keanefan]

I've been to these internet cafes and they are amazing. Its great for students or tourists who don't wanna break the bank. I'd rather crash at one of these nice places then an expensive hotel or even a capsule hotel where you sleep in a hole in the wall.

so people sleep on the sofa or at the computer?

are there private cubicles or what?

[Brownbear]

id think that they sleep on the computer chairs. Some net cafe's have really nice computer chairs that recline. I wish i had a chair that reclined. haha

[monty613]

blame World Of Warcraft

[Lonely Soldier Boy]

so people sleep on the sofa or at the computer?

are there private cubicles or what?

Some of them have private cubicles.

They are really tiny though.

[keanefan]

Thanks for the replies

[UrbanPoet]

Yep... then you can get a membership to a gym and take a shower daily.
Rent a storage locker and BAM your set.

[Mgz]

chair is pretty comfy
also they have air conditionals.

[KorruptioN]

chair is pretty comfy
also they have air conditionals.

Do you mean conditions on the air?

Engrish is a fine art.

[Alvito]

Do you mean conditions on the air?

Engrish is a fine art.

can i read some of your scholarly essays and philosophical rhetoric?

shut up and give the guy a break, hes adding to the thread, you are not.

how much does it cost per hour there? and they were quoted as not having jobs? where do they get money from?

[hot_potato]

Most net cafes have small cubicles with imitation leather chairs that recline (guess you could sleep like that). These cafes also have showers available. Just visit a coin laundry and you're pretty much set. All night rates at about 10 to 15 bucks (depending on which city) makes it much more affordable than even the cheapest hotel (80 bucks). Plus you get to surf the web.. I've seen someone hang their washed underwear on the door knob to their cubicle. That was an eye-opener..

[Lonely Soldier Boy]

Most net cafes have small cubicles with imitation leather chairs that recline (guess you could sleep like that). These cafes also have showers available. Just visit a coin laundry and you're pretty much set. All night rates at about 10 to 15 bucks (depending on which city) makes it much more affordable than even the cheapest hotel (80 bucks). Plus you get to surf the web.. I've seen someone hang their washed underwear on the door knob to their cubicle. That was an eye-opener..

10-15 bucks is rare now.. Honestly, I had many situations where I was stuck waiting for a train in Shibuya or elsewhere, and the cheapest places were like 3-4 thousand yen (28-35$). This is, of course, in areas of high demand.

The biggest problem is people snoring in neighboring booths. -_-