Support groups step in as Japan’s homeless cope with round-the-clock extreme heat

OSAKA — This summer saw record-breaking heat in Japan. Days of scorching temperatures were followed by “tropical nights,” which remained above 25 degrees Celsius. This heat is dangerous for everyone, but how much more unbearable must it be for those living on the streets without an air-conditioned home to return to? The Mainichi Shimbun visited those affected and the organizations supporting them.

Even at 6 p.m. in mid-August, the relentless sun beat down on a line of homeless people, casting long shadows. About 20 people were gathered in a park in the city of Osaka for a meal distribution. The temperature that day had peaked at 38 C. An elderly man in the line crouched on the curb, wiping sweat from his brow.

The Ogimachi Park soup kitchen association, which usually distributes homemade rice balls and “inarizushi” vinegar-soaked rice inside deep-fried tofu every week, had to cancel its August meal distributions due to the extreme heat, its leader’s illness and the advancing ages of its members who prepare the food. However, 69-year-old Koichi Morie and other volunteers couldn’t ignore the homeless who were struggling to find food. They purchased and distributed “bento” boxed meals, though the supply was limited

Mr. Nishi (a pseudonym), a 73-year-old who received a bento and a cold drink, said, “The nights are getting hotter every year. I’m worried about making it through the summer without suffering from heatstroke while living on the streets. I’m grateful they continue to distribute food like this.”

Morie commented, “Compared to Nishinari (Ward), there are fewer support groups and meal distributions in this area of Osaka. We hope to resume our food distributions in September,” as he offered words of encouragement to those in line.

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Many homeless people spend the daytime seeking air conditioned public and commercial spaces, but at night, when these facilities close, they sleep in parks or under overpasses. However, some trek outside even during the day, motivated by thoughts such as, “I don’t want to be disliked because of my smell,” or “I don’t want people to recognize my face and give me dirty looks.”

One daytime refuge for homeless people is the Danran Space, an air-conditioned area set up by the certified nonprofit Homedoor, which supports those in need and is based in Osaka’s Kita Ward. The space offers drinks and other amenities to those who come to cool off. It also provides an overnight shelter and connects homeless individuals to welfare application and employment support.

In July, during their night patrol activities, Homedoor volunteers found a homeless person collapsed over their bicycle due to the heat. The person appeared to be suffering from heatstroke, so they quickly gave them a sports drink and called an ambulance. In August, they received reports of homeless people collapsing from heatstroke.

During these night patrols, volunteers distribute boxed meals and drinks while checking on the well-being of the homeless and gathering information on their support needs. In August, they also handed out salt tablets and heatstroke prevention candies as part of their heat-related aid efforts. The patrol covers four routes in Osaka, where many homeless individuals reside, and takes about two hours to complete by foot or bicycle. Along the way, volunteers engage in casual conversations to check on the well-being of the homeless people they encounter.

Homedoor director Kana Kawaguchi, 33, told the Mainichi, “Many homeless people say that the summer heat is harder to endure than the winter cold. There’s no way to escape the heat. We have a space where they can cool off during the day, so I hope they don’t hesitate to visit us.”

One man in his 60s, who was approached by Kawaguchi during a mid-August night patrol, said, “I spend the daytime wandering around the city looking for air conditioning, but the heat is getting really tough to bear. I’m debating whether to seek shelter.”

(Japanese original by Daiki Takikawa, Osaka Photo and Video Department)