Poverty and living standards in Iwate, Japan: official figures
The number of people receiving public assistance (seikatsu hogo) per 1,000 people in Iwate was 10.69 in 2023, 20th lowest of 47 prefectures.
How many older people receive welfare in Iwate?
The number of people aged 65 or over receiving public assistance per 1,000 people aged 65 or over in Iwate was 16.7 in 2022, 15th lowest of 47 prefectures.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many people get housing assistance in Iwate?
The number of people receiving housing assistance per 1,000 people in Iwate was 8.17 in 2023, 18th lowest of 47 prefectures.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many people in Iwate have a disability certificate?
The number of physical disability certificates issued per 1,000 people in Iwate was 41.2 in 2023, 20th lowest of 47 prefectures.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many disabled job seekers find work in Iwate?
The employment rate of job seekers with disabilities in Iwate was 50.0% in 2024, 16th highest of 47 prefectures.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many people in Iwate claim unemployment benefit?
The share of insured workers receiving unemployment benefit in Iwate was 1.20% in 2023, tied for 20th lowest of 47 prefectures.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyWhat is the crime rate in Iwate?
The number of recorded criminal offences per 1,000 people in Iwate was 2.46 in 2023, the lowest of 47 prefectures.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many crimes are solved in Iwate?
The share of recorded offences that police cleared in Iwate was 53.7% in 2023, 12th highest of 47 prefectures.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many police officers are there in Iwate?
The number of police officers per 1,000 people in Iwate was 1.84 in 2024, tied for 13th lowest of 47 prefectures.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many people die in road accidents in Iwate?
The number of road traffic deaths per 100,000 people in Iwate was 2.40 in 2024, tied for 17th lowest of 47 prefectures.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many road accidents happen in Iwate?
The number of road traffic accidents per 100,000 people in Iwate was 121.5 in 2024, 4th lowest of 47 prefectures.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many people die in accidents in Iwate?
The number of deaths from unintentional accidents per 100,000 people in Iwate was 48.7 in 2023, 12th highest of 47 prefectures.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow much damage do disasters cause in Iwate?
The value of disaster damage per person in Iwate was 3,521 yen in 2023, 21st highest of 47 prefectures.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many fires are there in Iwate?
The number of fires per 100,000 people in Iwate was 32.9 in 2023, 22nd lowest of 47 prefectures.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many people receive welfare in Iwate?
12,587 people in Iwate were receiving public assistance (seikatsu hogo, Japan's last-resort welfare payment) in March 2026, which is 1.10 per 100 residents, 21st lowest of 47 prefectures. Japan overall: 1,980,808 people (1.60 per 100 residents).
Source: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan, via e-Stat · saved copyHow many households receive welfare in Iwate?
10,542 households in Iwate were receiving public assistance in March 2026, 15th fewest of 47 prefectures, an average of 1.19 people per household. Japan overall: 1,644,531 households (1.20 people per household).
Source: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan, via e-Stat · saved copyHow many older people on welfare are there in Iwate?
Households of people aged 65 or over made up 56.3% of the 10,504 households receiving public assistance (suspended cases excluded) in Iwate in March 2026 (5,913 households), 22nd lowest of 47 prefectures. Japan overall: 55.3%.
Source: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan, via e-Stat · saved copyHow many people on welfare live alone in Iwate?
Single-person households made up 86.0% of the 10,504 households receiving public assistance (suspended cases excluded) in Iwate in March 2026 (9,037 households), 20th lowest of 47 prefectures. Japan overall: 85.6%.
Source: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan, via e-Stat · saved copyHow many single mothers are on welfare in Iwate?
Single-mother households made up 2.6% of the 10,504 households receiving public assistance (suspended cases excluded) in Iwate in March 2026 (274 households), 16th lowest of 47 prefectures. Japan overall: 3.4%.
Source: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan, via e-Stat · saved copyHow many disabled people are on welfare in Iwate?
Households with a disabled or sick member as the main reason made up 24.8% of the 10,504 households receiving public assistance (suspended cases excluded) in Iwate in March 2026 (2,610 households), 24th highest of 47 prefectures. Japan overall: 25.4%.
Source: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan, via e-Stat · saved copyHow many working-age people are on welfare in Iwate?
Households of working-age people with none of the above reasons ("other households") made up 16.3% of the 10,504 households receiving public assistance (suspended cases excluded) in Iwate in March 2026 (1,707 households), 19th highest of 47 prefectures. Japan overall: 15.8%.
Source: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan, via e-Stat · saved copyHow many people on welfare in Iwate are working?
Households with someone in work made up 13.9% of the 10,504 households receiving public assistance (suspended cases excluded) in Iwate in March 2026 (1,457 households), 15th lowest of 47 prefectures. Japan overall: 15.6%.
Source: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan, via e-Stat · saved copyHow many people on welfare in Iwate get rent support?
The share of people on public assistance who received housing assistance (rent support) in Iwate was 74.6% in March 2026, 9th lowest of 47 prefectures. Japan overall: 85.4%.
Source: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan, via e-Stat · saved copyHow many people on welfare in Iwate receive living allowances?
The share of people on public assistance who received living assistance (the basic monthly payment) in Iwate was 85.9% in March 2026, 13th highest of 47 prefectures. Japan overall: 86.2%.
Source: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan, via e-Stat · saved copyHow many children on welfare in Iwate get school support?
The share of people on public assistance who received education assistance (mostly schoolchildren) in Iwate was 3.4% in March 2026, 19th lowest of 47 prefectures. Japan overall: 4.0%.
Source: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan, via e-Stat · saved copyHow many people on welfare in Iwate get medical help?
The share of people on public assistance who received medical assistance (free treatment) in Iwate was 90.2% in March 2026, 2nd highest of 47 prefectures. Japan overall: 85.2%.
Source: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan, via e-Stat · saved copyHow many people apply for welfare in Iwate?
161 applications for public assistance were received in Iwate in March 2026, which is 14.1 per 100,000 residents, 19th lowest of 47 prefectures, and 144 households started receiving it that month. Japan overall: 23,636 applications (19.1 per 100,000).
Source: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan, via e-Stat · saved copyHow many foreign households receive welfare in Iwate?
The share of households receiving public assistance whose head does not hold Japanese nationality in Iwate was 0.4% in March 2026, 5th lowest of 47 prefectures. Japan overall: 2.9%.
Source: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan, via e-Stat · saved copyHow Iwate compares with other prefectures
People on public assistance per 1,000 residents (2023)
Iwate ranks 28 of 47, highest first. Monthly average, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare
| Rank | Region | People on public assistance per 1,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| 25 | Okayama | 12.75 |
| 26 | Tottori | 12.00 |
| 27 | Kagawa | 10.85 |
| 28 | Iwate | 10.69 |
| 29 | Tochigi | 10.48 |
| 30 | Aichi | 10.35 |
| 31 | Yamaguchi | 10.32 |
Recorded offences per 1,000 residents (2023)
Iwate ranks 47 of 47, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Recorded offences per 1,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| 41 | Yamaguchi | 3.22 |
| 42 | Shimane | 3.01 |
| 43 | Nagasaki | 2.99 |
| 44 | Yamagata | 2.90 |
| 45 | Oita | 2.73 |
| 46 | Akita | 2.63 |
| 47 | Iwate | 2.46 |
People on public assistance per 100 residents (March 2026) (2026)
Iwate ranks 27 of 47, highest first. MHLW Public Assistance Recipients Survey; prefecture totals include the designated cities and core cities in each prefecture, divided by the 1 October 2024 population estimate
| Rank | Region | People on public assistance per 100 residents (March 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| 24 | Saitama | 1.34 |
| 25 | Okayama | 1.27 |
| 26 | Tottori | 1.17 |
| 27 | Iwate | 1.10 |
| 28 | Kagawa | 1.08 |
| 29 | Tochigi | 1.07 |
| 30 | Aichi | 1.05 |
Elderly households as a share of households on public assistance (March 2026) (2026)
Iwate ranks 26 of 47, highest first. Share of households receiving assistance; the survey excludes suspended cases
| Rank | Region | Elderly households as a share of households on public assistance (March 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| 23 | Mie | 56.8% |
| 24 | Nara | 56.5% |
| 25 | Yamagata | 56.4% |
| 26 | Iwate | 56.3% |
| 27 | Toyama | 56.2% |
| 28 | Fukushima | 55.9% |
| 29 | Tochigi | 55.6% |
Applications for public assistance per 100,000 residents (March 2026) (2026)
Iwate ranks 29 of 47, highest first. One month only, so it can swing in small prefectures
| Rank | Region | Applications for public assistance per 100,000 residents (March 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| 26 | Fukushima | 14.9 |
| 27 | Tokushima | 14.9 |
| 28 | Yamaguchi | 14.7 |
| 29 | Iwate | 14.1 |
| 30 | Tottori | 13.9 |
| 31 | Tochigi | 13.6 |
| 32 | Shimane | 13.6 |
More on Iwate: overview · economy and jobs · health · education and schools · government budget · Japan
Sources
- Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications: Statistical Observations of Prefectures 2026 (Tōkei de miru todōfuken no sugata), full volume, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 b69774a5f40c…)
- Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan, via e-Stat: Public Assistance Recipients Survey, monthly viewing tables for March 2026 (recipients and households by prefecture and city), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 35c582f0afd2…)
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