A Single Mother's Struggle to Provide for Her Family Amid Rising Costs

Shoko Shirai, a 53-year-old mother living in Tokyo, prepares lunch for her son, inviting him to serve himself rice from the cooker. As her son, a 14-year-old junior high student and baseball player, measures his height against the marks on a pillar in their home, Shirai reflects on her life as a single parent after losing her husband to a heart attack in 2022.

With a monthly survivor's pension of around 150,000 yen (approximately $1,010) and dwindling savings, Shirai has found it challenging to manage her family's expenses. Once a teacher, her return to work was hindered by depression following her husband's death, which also affected her memory and comprehension. Although she felt overwhelmed at times, the support from her children helped her regain some sense of stability, and she now earns a small income through part-time work.

Despite the financial challenges, Shirai maintains a family budget that prioritizes food, choosing to cut back on clothing and other living expenses instead. The recent doubling of rice prices has made buying this staple increasingly difficult. To cope, Shirai relies on food pantries and search for discounted items, trying to ensure her children have sufficient nutrition.

Her son, who has been playing baseball since the first grade, aims to gain weight to improve his performance. To help with this, he eats two bowls of rice every evening, successfully adding six kilograms to his weight before a major tournament. As he entered junior high, Shirai initially sourced secondhand school uniforms and supplies, but she felt compelled to buy him a new backpack after seeing his disappointment at using secondhand items.

As the summer tournament approached, her son expressed gratitude for his mother's sacrifices, acknowledging her commitment to providing him with food and support for his baseball activities. A survey by the Single Mothers Forum highlights the extent of the struggles faced by single-parent households across Japan, revealing that a significant percentage of respondents often skip meals or reduce their portions to ensure their children are fed. Masako Komori, the organization's president, voiced her worries about the rising cost of living and its impact on families, especially when school lunches are not available during breaks.