With Japan increasingly aware of the child poverty problem in its midst, a growing number of businesses and nonprofit organizations are taking steps to help single mothers raising children alone.
The help offered ranges from free consultations on legal matters like custody and alimony, to assistance searching for jobs and places to live.
In late April in Tokyo, the support group Mama United kicked off an operation to provide single mothers with free legal advice and other useful information. Some 30 people, including women with small children, took part in the inaugural event.