Ten of the nation's 48 public shelters for women suffering from abuse or poverty were used sparsely or not at all in fiscal 2015, and support groups are urging that their strict usage regulations be eased, a survey showed Monday.
The 48 shelters are hosted by 39 prefectures and mostly run by the prefectural governments. They offer support and job training to help women lead independent lives.
Many of the shelters accept people with mild psychological disorders or learning disabilities. The occupants usually stay for more than a month, but some stay for over a year. The shelters usually have enough capacity to accommodate five to 30 people.