Japan lawmakers propose 'Child Poverty Agency' to ease COVID blow

Majority of single-parent households report economic hardship

20210308N Japanese kids go to school

Japan records one of the highest child poverty rates for single-parent families among advanced nations. © Reuters

RYO NEMOTO, Nikkei staff writer

TOKYO -- The coronavirus has exacerbated child poverty in Japan, hitting single-parent households particularly hard, prompting calls for immediate action ranging from cash payouts to the creation of a new agency.

About 60% of single-parent households reported strained living circumstances in a November survey by the Japan Institute for Labor Policy and Training, while those unable to buy enough food during the most recent month grew to 35.6%.

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