The telephone consultation service Sachiko Sawagami works for receives dozens of COVID-19-related inquiries every day, many from those heaving under financial pressure.
Take the taxi driver who was walking a tightrope even before the outbreak, trapped in a cycle of debt to support his gambling habit. Like many workers in unsecure jobs, the pandemic was the final straw.
As customers vanished and income waned while the health crisis dragged on, he began missing payment deadlines and accumulating demand letters from banks.
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