Poverty and living standards in Shiga, Japan: official figures
The number of people receiving public assistance (seikatsu hogo) per 1,000 people in Shiga was 7.99 in 2023, 7th lowest of 47 prefectures.
How many older people receive welfare in Shiga?
The number of people aged 65 or over receiving public assistance per 1,000 people aged 65 or over in Shiga was 12.8 in 2022, 8th lowest of 47 prefectures.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many people get housing assistance in Shiga?
The number of people receiving housing assistance per 1,000 people in Shiga was 6.46 in 2023, tied for 8th lowest of 47 prefectures.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many people in Shiga have a disability certificate?
The number of physical disability certificates issued per 1,000 people in Shiga was 37.5 in 2023, 13th lowest of 47 prefectures.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many disabled job seekers find work in Shiga?
The employment rate of job seekers with disabilities in Shiga was 47.7% in 2024, 23rd highest of 47 prefectures.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many people in Shiga claim unemployment benefit?
The share of insured workers receiving unemployment benefit in Shiga was 1.30% in 2023, tied for 15th highest of 47 prefectures.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyWhat is the crime rate in Shiga?
The number of recorded criminal offences per 1,000 people in Shiga was 5.52 in 2023, 15th highest of 47 prefectures.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many crimes are solved in Shiga?
The share of recorded offences that police cleared in Shiga was 47.2% in 2023, 23rd highest of 47 prefectures.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many police officers are there in Shiga?
The number of police officers per 1,000 people in Shiga was 1.68 in 2024, 2nd lowest of 47 prefectures.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many people die in road accidents in Shiga?
The number of road traffic deaths per 100,000 people in Shiga was 2.00 in 2024, tied for 9th lowest of 47 prefectures.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many road accidents happen in Shiga?
The number of road traffic accidents per 100,000 people in Shiga was 199.9 in 2024, 21st highest of 47 prefectures.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many people die in accidents in Shiga?
The number of deaths from unintentional accidents per 100,000 people in Shiga was 35.0 in 2023, 13th lowest of 47 prefectures.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow much damage do disasters cause in Shiga?
The value of disaster damage per person in Shiga was 177 yen in 2023, 6th lowest of 47 prefectures.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many fires are there in Shiga?
The number of fires per 100,000 people in Shiga was 27.9 in 2023, 11th lowest of 47 prefectures.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many people receive welfare in Shiga?
11,207 people in Shiga were receiving public assistance (seikatsu hogo, Japan's last-resort welfare payment) in March 2026, which is 0.80 per 100 residents, 7th 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 Shiga?
8,796 households in Shiga were receiving public assistance in March 2026, 10th fewest of 47 prefectures, an average of 1.27 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 Shiga?
Households of people aged 65 or over made up 49.0% of the 8,755 households receiving public assistance (suspended cases excluded) in Shiga in March 2026 (4,289 households), the 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 Shiga?
Single-person households made up 82.7% of the 8,755 households receiving public assistance (suspended cases excluded) in Shiga in March 2026 (7,238 households), the 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 Shiga?
Single-mother households made up 4.5% of the 8,755 households receiving public assistance (suspended cases excluded) in Shiga in March 2026 (395 households), 2nd highest 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 Shiga?
Households with a disabled or sick member as the main reason made up 32.1% of the 8,755 households receiving public assistance (suspended cases excluded) in Shiga in March 2026 (2,806 households), the 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 Shiga?
Households of working-age people with none of the above reasons ("other households") made up 14.4% of the 8,755 households receiving public assistance (suspended cases excluded) in Shiga in March 2026 (1,265 households), 20th lowest 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 Shiga are working?
Households with someone in work made up 19.5% of the 8,755 households receiving public assistance (suspended cases excluded) in Shiga in March 2026 (1,706 households), 2nd highest 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 Shiga get rent support?
The share of people on public assistance who received housing assistance (rent support) in Shiga was 81.6% in March 2026, 19th highest 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 Shiga receive living allowances?
The share of people on public assistance who received living assistance (the basic monthly payment) in Shiga was 84.6% in March 2026, 19th lowest 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 Shiga get school support?
The share of people on public assistance who received education assistance (mostly schoolchildren) in Shiga was 6.5% in March 2026, the highest 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 Shiga get medical help?
The share of people on public assistance who received medical assistance (free treatment) in Shiga was 86.7% in March 2026, 18th 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 Shiga?
166 applications for public assistance were received in Shiga in March 2026, which is 11.8 per 100,000 residents, 10th lowest of 47 prefectures, and 138 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 Shiga?
The share of households receiving public assistance whose head does not hold Japanese nationality in Shiga was 4.1% in March 2026, 7th highest of 47 prefectures. Japan overall: 2.9%.
Source: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan, via e-Stat · saved copyHow Shiga compares with other prefectures
People on public assistance per 1,000 residents (2023)
Shiga ranks 41 of 47, highest first. Monthly average, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare
| Rank | Region | People on public assistance per 1,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| 38 | Yamanashi | 8.75 |
| 39 | Shimane | 8.28 |
| 40 | Gunma | 8.04 |
| 41 | Shiga | 7.99 |
| 42 | Yamagata | 7.55 |
| 43 | Ishikawa | 6.44 |
| 44 | Gifu | 6.01 |
Recorded offences per 1,000 residents (2023)
Shiga ranks 15 of 47, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Recorded offences per 1,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| 12 | Gifu | 6.17 |
| 13 | Chiba | 6.00 |
| 14 | Mie | 5.76 |
| 15 | Shiga | 5.52 |
| 16 | Ehime | 5.27 |
| 17 | Hiroshima | 5.18 |
| 18 | Miyagi | 5.12 |
People on public assistance per 100 residents (March 2026) (2026)
Shiga ranks 41 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) |
|---|---|---|
| 38 | Yamanashi | 0.89 |
| 39 | Gunma | 0.85 |
| 40 | Shimane | 0.81 |
| 41 | Shiga | 0.80 |
| 42 | Yamagata | 0.75 |
| 43 | Gifu | 0.64 |
| 44 | Ishikawa | 0.64 |
Elderly households as a share of households on public assistance (March 2026) (2026)
Shiga ranks 47 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) |
|---|---|---|
| 41 | Aichi | 52.6% |
| 42 | Okayama | 52.1% |
| 43 | Kanagawa | 51.5% |
| 44 | Hiroshima | 51.4% |
| 45 | Niigata | 50.5% |
| 46 | Miyagi | 49.5% |
| 47 | Shiga | 49.0% |
Applications for public assistance per 100,000 residents (March 2026) (2026)
Shiga ranks 38 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) |
|---|---|---|
| 35 | Mie | 12.4 |
| 36 | Gunma | 11.9 |
| 37 | Yamanashi | 11.9 |
| 38 | Shiga | 11.8 |
| 39 | Nara | 11.8 |
| 40 | Kagawa | 11.6 |
| 41 | Saga | 10.9 |
More on Shiga: 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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