The perceived widening in the gap between the haves and have-nots in Japan has become a frequent topic of public debates. Those conscious of the gap refer to it as a negative byproduct of Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's reforms. Meanwhile, the government denies that the income gap is growing.
Opinions are divided even among experts. In the world of politics, however, grassroots perception and feelings play an important part. Greater political attention should be paid to the feelings people have about their society. Unless efforts are made to nip this problem in the bud, a large number of "losers" could eventually wreak havoc on the social fabric.
According to the statistics of the Internal Affairs Ministry, income inequality as expressed by the "Gini" coefficient has been increasing. The coefficient, which stood at 0.271 in 1979, rose to 0.297 in 1994, and to 0.308 in 2004. The higher the coefficient, the greater the inequality. At the theoretical maximum of 1.0, one person would control the entire wealth of the nation.