Dreaming of going somewhere?
In Japan, there are about 30,000 children who cannot live with their parents due to various reasons, such as child abuse, neglect, economic circumstances or death of their parents. These children usually find shelter in child care facilities. But these institutions can only provide support until children reach 18 years-old and graduate from high school. Once they reach 18, children must live on their own without parental support and must be accountable for themselves. This can be compared to being forced to walk on a tightrope without a safety net. As a result, it is not uncommon for these young people to find themselves homeless, in the adult-entertainment industry, in anti-socialist organizations or on welfare. The SAMURAI Project is operated by ZIRITSU, a non-profit organization aiming to promote the independence and the productive living of young former child care institution residents. And former residents are working behind-the-scenes fo...