TOKYO - The number of welfare applications in Japan reached 22,320 in November 2024, marking a 1.6 percent increase from the same month the previous year and the highest for November in the past decade, according to data released by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.
The ministry attributed the rise in applications to factors such as an increase in single-person households and an aging population.
READ MORE: Japan sees record welfare applications amid inflation pressures
As of November 2024, the total number of welfare-recipient households stood at 1,651,995, a slight decrease of 0.1 percent compared to the same month in 2023.
As Japan is seeing persistent inflation and food price hikes, the ministry urged those facing financial hardship to seek assistance at their local government offices.
