A Japanese Homeless Man
Decades ago, a young man graduated from a local high school to come to Tokyo.
He started to work in a printing company, not a major one but a medium establishment. He worked hard to master printing technology and obtain skills. So he decided in his early 30s to set up his own printing shop. It looked like smooth progress of his career in this industry.
He became a president of his printing company though there were no employees. He operated machine and did all the related tasks for himself. But the location he opened his company was suitable for his business. There were many universities in the downtown district. So, professors gave out orders to him for typing and bookbinding of their papers. Various researchers also passed orders to him for arranging reports and various documents in printed material and university offices requested printing of various materials, since Japanese typewriters were not so common as there were too many characters (tens of thousands of types needed) unlike simple English typewriters. So, this one-man company was sailing large. But, development of electronics changed the situation.
From late 1980's, Japanese makers started to deliver Japanese word processors. There was no need any more to purchase costly, bulky and clumsy Japanese typewriters. Then, in early 1990's, Japanese makers refined Japanese-language personal computers. There was no need any more to outsource bookbinding or format arranging of papers. So, the humble printing company in the college town came to face a drastic reduction of sales. Accordingly, the self-made president came to rue his career. If he had continued to work in the old printing company, he should have been promoted and enjoyed reasonable status as the company was adopting new printing technology and machine to cope with a change in needs.
Finally, he abandoned his business. He closed the shop. But, it was when Japanese depression was intensified. He could not find new stable jobs. A job after a job his living standard sank more. And, finally he lost his residence. He became a homeless man in Tokyo...
It is said that there are between 2,500 and 3,000 homeless persons in Tokyo while the population of Tokyo Prefecture is about 13 million or 13,000,000. The ratio is 0.02%.
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Pro 1:8 My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother:
Pro 1:9 For they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck.
Pro 1:10 My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not.