- Title: Local officials in Japan provide shelter for homeless amid coronavirus outbreak
- Date: 13th April 2020
- Summary: YOKOHAMA, JAPAN (APRIL 13, 2020) (REUTERS) OPEN SPACE INSIDE KANAGAWA PREFECTURAL BUDOUKAN, CAMPING BEDS BLANKETS ON BED VARIOUS OF PREFECTURAL STAFF MAKING PARTITIONS AND BEDS CARDBOARD BED INSIDE OF PARTITION WHITE CURTAIN ON PARTITION (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) KANAGAWA PREFECTURE LIVING SAFETY DISASTER BUREAU OFFICIAL, JUN AOKI, SAYING: "People that were living at internet cafes shouldn't lose a place to go and be in a life-threatening situation. We opened this facility as a minimal safety net and our way to guarantee their lives." 45-YEAR-OLD TEMPORARY CONSTRUCTION WORKER SITTING ON BED (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) 45-YEAR-OLD TEMPORARY CONSTRUCTION WORKER WHO DID NOT WANT TO BE IDENTIFIED, SAYING: "I came here because I don't have a place to go at night." MAN SITTING ON BED (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) 45-YEAR-OLD TEMPORARY CONSTRUCTION WORKER WHO DID NOT WANT TO BE IDENTIFIED, SAYING: "I have no complaints because I have a place to go in the rain and survive." PARTITIONS WITH MAKESHIFT BEDS
- Embargoed: 27th April 2020 11:34
- Keywords: COVID-19 Kanagawa prefecture Yokohama coronavirus homeless internet cafe refugee shelter
- Location: YOKOHAMA, KANAGAWA PREFECTURE, JAPAN
- City: YOKOHAMA, KANAGAWA PREFECTURE, JAPAN
- Country: Japan
- Topics: Health/Medicine
- Reuters ID: LVA001C9BORIF
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: More than two dozen people registered to stay at a shelter in a prefectural martial arts stadium in Yokohama on Monday (April 13), days after it opened to help Japan's so-called "internet cafe refugees" who have been left stranded by recent measures to contain the coronavirus.
The Tokyo Metropolian Government has urged businesses - including internet cafes - to close in an effort to prevent the spread of the virus. But the cafes are also home to many homeless people who often have low-wage jobs but cannot afford a place of their own, and stay at the cafes overnight.
Anyone in Japan can use the shelter in Yokohama, after registering and having his or her temperature checked.
Officials say none of the shelter-seekers have had a high temperature so far.
A 45-year-old construction worker who's been living at an internet cafe in the prefecture for the past two years has been staying at this shelter since it opened on Friday (April 10).
He said his five-day work week has been cut to two days because of the coronavirus, which means he is struggling to pay for food and other life necessities.
"I have no complaints because I have a place to go and survive," he told Reuters.
Prefectural officials said the shelter will remain open until May 6, when the central government is set to lift the emergency declaration in Tokyo and six other prefectures.
(Production: Akira Tomoshige, Akiko Okamoto) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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