Janese authorities are preparing emergency housing for thousands of "internet cafe refugees" as coronavirus infections spike across the country.
Open around the clock: Internet cafes, which face temporary closure under Japan's state of emergency declaration, have become a de facto home for those without access to stable housing. Many internet and manga cafes across Japan are open 24 hours a day and feature showers, coin laundries, a cafe with food and most importantly -- private booths that can be rented on an hourly or daily rate.
Mostly men: There are more than 4,000 internet cafe refugees in Tokyo, according to a 2018 survey conducted by the Tokyo Metropolitan government. Nearly 86% of "residents" are men and just over 14% are women.
Roughly 15,000 people stay at such cafes daily during the week and some 4,000 of them are homeless. About 3,000 do not have stable jobs, according to the survey.
Hatanaka Kazuo, a spokesperson for the metropolitan government, told CNN that rooms would be available in business hotels in the capital for those who applied. A total of 175 people have moved into hotel rooms as of April 10. The rooms will be available until May 6, when the country's state of emergency is scheduled to end.