In this paper I propose three questions about the current status of "Poverty" in Japan :
(Q1) Is reasonable to treat the households receiving Income Support as the average households below the poverty line?
(Q2) Are there any changes in the Poverty in Japan if measured by Poverty Gap Index (Q)?
(Q3) Is there any Poverty Trap caused by Income Support scheme?
I tried to answer these questions by estimating Take-up rate, Headcount Index (H) and Poverty Gap Index (Q) using the micro data of the "Basic Survey on National Life (1995)". My answers are as follows :
(A1) No. The take-up rate varies too much household structure.
(A2) During this 20 years, the proportion of poor households is decreasing but the poor households are getting poorer if measured by the Poverty Gap Index (Q).
(A3) Yes. The households receiving Income Support are poorer, fewer in number and staying longer in Supported status in 1994 than they were in 1976.
