‘Lower the rent so we can live on!’~People protest against poor housing policies in Tokyo

A single man aged, 34, confides his worries, "I can't leave my parents' home, nor can I live on my own because the rent is too high. If it remains as it is, we have no choice but to die." Hearing about the demonstration via the Internet, he chanted slogans with other people, and they raised signs, reading, "Pump taxpayers' money for housing subsidies," or "Build more low-rent public housing now!"

SAKANIWA Kuniharu, an expert on housing problems, said indignantly, "Housing circumstances among the younger generations are wretched. While housing subsidies are properly installed in Europe without a question, Japan is the only country among industrialized nations, where the government doesn't offer such benefits.” AMAMIYA Karin, a writer and activist, agrees that housing is a grave concern that drives youths into poverty, and she is looking forward to this action, "Lower the Rent Demonstration."

The head of the organizing group, "Call for Housing Democracy," said, "We are determined to make housing policies a point of issue in the upcoming upper house election."

Around 100 people walked along through busy downtown streets with music, towing behind a van and calling on pedestrians to join in the demonstration and to share the facts that young singles are screened out of old poor housing policies.

家賃を下げて生きさせろ！～劣悪な住宅政策に抗議デモ
 

 「家 賃が高くて家から出られない。自立できない。このままでは親子で行き倒れだ」と悩みを語ってくれたのは、親と同居している34歳のシングル男性。ネットで 知ってこのデモに参加したという。6月12日午後、東京・新宿で「住宅保障に税金を使え」「公営住宅今すぐ増やせ」などのスローガンを掲げた「家賃下げ ろ」デモが行われた。住宅問題に詳しい坂庭国晴さんは「若者の住宅事情が劣悪。ヨーロッパでは国による家賃補助があたりまえだが、先進国でやってないのは 日本だけ」と憤る。雨宮処凛さんも「若者の貧困の大問題。家賃を下げて生きさせろ！」とこの運動に期待を寄せていた。呼びかけた「Call for Housing Democracy」の代表は、「住宅問題を参院選の争点にしたい」と意気込む。約100人のデモ隊は、サウンドカーを先頭に新宿の繁華街を練り歩いた。 （М） 写真速報・動画（3分）