Arab News Japan

TOKYO: Around 100 Shibuya Ward employees and private security guards evacuated homeless people from Mitake Park in a popular area of central Tokyo on Wednesday to allow fences to be put up and facilitate the expansion of a neighboring construction site.

The helmeted guards surrounded the park and its entrances so that the six people who regularly stay there could not enter again.

At nightfall, one of the park residents came to get his things after work. An employee of the town hall gave him his belongings by having him sign an acceptance slip.

A volunteer of the Nojiren association that helps the homeless said he was shocked that homeless people would be evacuated in the middle of winter.

A volunteer from the Neru Kaigi association said that Shibuya Ward had provided a very large budget from emergency situation funds to pay for the operation to evict six people. He said the money is used to pay companies, security personnel and overtime for city hall employees.

Volunteers and the homeless gathered at another park to plan future moves as winter moves in and temperatures fall to freezing.