Arab News Japan

TOKYO: Homeless people who camp out in a park near the upmarket Shibuya and Harajuku shopping areas are protesting the park’s planned closure.

Protesters gathered outside Shibuya City Hall on Sunday to demonstrate against the move to evict homeless people from Mitake Public Park in Shibuya Ward.

The demonstration moved through the Shibuya district and past luxury shops following the decision to evict the homeless from the park.

A sign at the park indicates that fencing work is planned, although no eviction date has been set.

According to a 40-year-old protester, six homeless people live in the park on a regular basis and food distribution takes place every Saturday, which attracts around a hundred others who are down on their luck.

A nearby park – Miyashita Park – that had many homeless people staying there was closed a few years ago and turned into a glitzy shopping mall.

According to the Neru Kaigi Association managed by the homeless, during the end of the year many homeless people are at risk of losing their jobs, pushing them even further into poverty.