Regarding Tomohiro Osaki's Dec. 30 article, "Shibuya shuts parks, thwarting soup runs": For the past 22 years, I have been delivering rice balls to the homeless in the Shibuya Station area through the Tokyo Union Church.
In the early years, our route included the B1 and B2 exits of the station area where the homeless could get in a few hours sleep in the warm basement hallway. Suddenly the station hired guards to keep the homeless out under the guise of cleaning those halls. Another area of our delivery was two levels of Miyashita Park. Well, the homeless were removed from there to build Nike sports areas.
More recently the homeless were sleeping in the sheltered parking area at the main Shibuya Ward office. Last year they were kicked out because some construction vehicles were being parked there, although there was still plenty of room. Yet, after the vehicles were removed, the homeless were still not allowed back in.
Cleaning, creating a sports park, parking vehicles — those were really nothing but excuses to get rid of the homeless. At least this time, the article apparently revealed the truth, which is to keep the homeless out. There seems to be a mentality that if you don't see something, it doesn't exist and one doesn't have to think about it. I think some of those members of the parks department had better spend part of the new year praying they never find themselves homeless.
The opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are the writer's own and do not necessarily reflect the policies of The Japan Times.
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