Poverty and living standards in Tokyo, Japan: official figures
The number of people receiving public assistance (seikatsu hogo) per 1,000 people in Tokyo was 19.61 in 2023, 9th highest of 47 prefectures.
How many older people receive welfare in Tokyo?
The number of people aged 65 or over receiving public assistance per 1,000 people aged 65 or over in Tokyo was 45.3 in 2022, tied for 3rd highest of 47 prefectures.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many people get housing assistance in Tokyo?
The number of people receiving housing assistance per 1,000 people in Tokyo was 17.61 in 2023, 7th highest of 47 prefectures.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many people in Tokyo have a disability certificate?
The number of physical disability certificates issued per 1,000 people in Tokyo was 34.6 in 2023, 8th lowest of 47 prefectures.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many disabled job seekers find work in Tokyo?
The employment rate of job seekers with disabilities in Tokyo was 34.0% in 2024, the lowest of 47 prefectures.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many people in Tokyo claim unemployment benefit?
The share of insured workers receiving unemployment benefit in Tokyo was 0.40% in 2023, the lowest of 47 prefectures.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyWhat is the crime rate in Tokyo?
The number of recorded criminal offences per 1,000 people in Tokyo was 6.33 in 2023, 7th highest of 47 prefectures.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many crimes are solved in Tokyo?
The share of recorded offences that police cleared in Tokyo was 35.0% in 2023, 7th lowest of 47 prefectures.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many police officers are there in Tokyo?
The number of police officers per 1,000 people in Tokyo was 3.08 in 2024, the highest of 47 prefectures.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many people die in road accidents in Tokyo?
The number of road traffic deaths per 100,000 people in Tokyo was 1.00 in 2024, the lowest of 47 prefectures.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many road accidents happen in Tokyo?
The number of road traffic accidents per 100,000 people in Tokyo was 212.3 in 2024, 18th highest of 47 prefectures.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many people die in accidents in Tokyo?
The number of deaths from unintentional accidents per 100,000 people in Tokyo was 25.5 in 2023, 2nd lowest of 47 prefectures.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow much damage do disasters cause in Tokyo?
The value of disaster damage per person in Tokyo was 2 yen in 2023, the lowest of 47 prefectures.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many fires are there in Tokyo?
The number of fires per 100,000 people in Tokyo was 31.0 in 2023, tied for 18th lowest of 47 prefectures.
Source: Statistics Bureau of Japan, Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications · saved copyHow many people receive welfare in Tokyo?
267,691 people in Tokyo were receiving public assistance (seikatsu hogo, Japan's last-resort welfare payment) in March 2026, which is 1.89 per 100 residents, 9th highest 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 Tokyo?
227,562 households in Tokyo were receiving public assistance in March 2026, the most of 47 prefectures, an average of 1.18 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 Tokyo?
Households of people aged 65 or over made up 53.2% of the 226,504 households receiving public assistance (suspended cases excluded) in Tokyo in March 2026 (120,464 households), 10th 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 Tokyo?
Single-person households made up 86.9% of the 226,504 households receiving public assistance (suspended cases excluded) in Tokyo in March 2026 (196,725 households), 14th highest 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 Tokyo?
Single-mother households made up 2.8% of the 226,504 households receiving public assistance (suspended cases excluded) in Tokyo in March 2026 (6,287 households), 17th 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 Tokyo?
Households with a disabled or sick member as the main reason made up 26.2% of the 226,504 households receiving public assistance (suspended cases excluded) in Tokyo in March 2026 (59,408 households), 17th 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 Tokyo?
Households of working-age people with none of the above reasons ("other households") made up 17.8% of the 226,504 households receiving public assistance (suspended cases excluded) in Tokyo in March 2026 (40,345 households), 10th 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 Tokyo are working?
Households with someone in work made up 15.4% of the 226,504 households receiving public assistance (suspended cases excluded) in Tokyo in March 2026 (34,984 households), 20th 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 Tokyo get rent support?
The share of people on public assistance who received housing assistance (rent support) in Tokyo was 89.6% in March 2026, 3rd 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 Tokyo receive living allowances?
The share of people on public assistance who received living assistance (the basic monthly payment) in Tokyo was 85.9% in March 2026, 14th 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 Tokyo get school support?
The share of people on public assistance who received education assistance (mostly schoolchildren) in Tokyo was 3.0% in March 2026, 7th 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 Tokyo get medical help?
The share of people on public assistance who received medical assistance (free treatment) in Tokyo was 86.1% in March 2026, 22nd 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 Tokyo?
2,788 applications for public assistance were received in Tokyo in March 2026, which is 19.7 per 100,000 residents, 10th highest of 47 prefectures, and 2,505 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 Tokyo?
The share of households receiving public assistance whose head does not hold Japanese nationality in Tokyo was 3.0% in March 2026, 14th highest of 47 prefectures. Japan overall: 2.9%.
Source: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, Japan, via e-Stat · saved copyHow Tokyo compares with other prefectures
People on public assistance per 1,000 residents (2023)
Tokyo ranks 9 of 47, highest first. Monthly average, Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare
| Rank | Region | People on public assistance per 1,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | Aomori | 23.13 |
| 7 | Kyoto | 20.95 |
| 8 | Nagasaki | 20.24 |
| 9 | Tokyo | 19.61 |
| 10 | Kagoshima | 18.50 |
| 11 | Hyogo | 18.30 |
| 12 | Tokushima | 17.83 |
Recorded offences per 1,000 residents (2023)
Tokyo ranks 7 of 47, highest first.
| Rank | Region | Recorded offences per 1,000 residents |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | Hyogo | 6.94 |
| 5 | Saitama | 6.77 |
| 6 | Fukuoka | 6.52 |
| 7 | Tokyo | 6.33 |
| 8 | Tochigi | 6.29 |
| 9 | Aichi | 6.26 |
| 10 | Kagawa | 6.22 |
People on public assistance per 100 residents (March 2026) (2026)
Tokyo ranks 9 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) |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | Fukuoka | 2.26 |
| 7 | Kyoto | 2.01 |
| 8 | Nagasaki | 1.94 |
| 9 | Tokyo | 1.89 |
| 10 | Kagoshima | 1.80 |
| 11 | Hyogo | 1.78 |
| 12 | Tokushima | 1.70 |
Elderly households as a share of households on public assistance (March 2026) (2026)
Tokyo ranks 38 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) |
|---|---|---|
| 35 | Tottori | 53.8% |
| 36 | Saitama | 53.5% |
| 37 | Kagawa | 53.3% |
| 38 | Tokyo | 53.2% |
| 39 | Kyoto | 52.9% |
| 40 | Chiba | 52.8% |
| 41 | Aichi | 52.6% |
Applications for public assistance per 100,000 residents (March 2026) (2026)
Tokyo ranks 10 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) |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | Fukuoka | 21.8 |
| 8 | Kanagawa | 21.2 |
| 9 | Kyoto | 20.7 |
| 10 | Tokyo | 19.7 |
| 11 | Oita | 19.5 |
| 12 | Chiba | 19.1 |
| 13 | Kagoshima | 18.5 |
More on Tokyo: 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…)
Each saved copy is the file exactly as downloaded, kept so the figures can be checked even if the source changes. Report an error.