Depressing stats about child poverty + hunger in Japan

When many people abroad seem to picture Japan, the image that often comes to mind is a sleek, futuristic society where trains run on time, robots pour coffee, and life seems almost problem-free. A very "Japan glazing" point of view, as the young ones would say, but that idealized view is not always reality. A recent survey by Save the Children Japan showed that over 90% of low-income households with children are struggling with food insecurity. As a parent myself, I found this to be a deeply depressing read.

The survey covered nearly 8,000 households and more than 14,000 children, and found that families are skipping meals, cutting portion sizes, and in some cases even giving children extra water to distract them from hunger. I think even if you're not a parent, it's impossible not to imagine the stress and guilt that must come with having to ration food in one of the world's richest nations.

The article noted that the situation is especially severe among single-parent households, which made up the bulk of the respondents. Most of these parents (predominantly women in their 30s and 40s) are raising kids on incredibly tight budgets, with food costs often capped at just ¥32,000 to ¥41,000 a month. The ever-rising prices on staples like rice have made things even harder, with school lunches sometimes the only reliable source of nutrition for these kids.

I've helped with food-based initiatives when I lived in Tokyo (e.g. Second Harvest Japan) but I don't really know much about programs outside the capital. If you know of any in your prefecture, please share them in the comments!