Responsibility for Poverty Alleviation among Low-Income Families

Discussions on Higher Education Access for Children from Public Assistance Households

Abstract

This paper examines the issue of responsibility for poverty alleviation among low-income families, focusing on discussions surrounding higher education access for children from households receiving public assistance in Japan. Policies such as the grant-type scholarship program and tuition support scheme have expanded opportunities for low-income students, reflecting recognition that society should assume responsibility for addressing child poverty. Yet children from welfare households remain subject to the household separation rule, under which pursuing higher education results in the loss of welfare benefits. An analysis of parliamentary and Social Security Council discussions reveals two competing perspectives. Government officials often stress “fairness” with non-welfare households or emphasize work obligations, framing poverty alleviation as an individual responsibility. In contrast, opposition parties and advocates highlight the need for social messages affirming educational support for all, including the children of welfare recipients, and argue for broader social responsibility. The findings demonstrate that, despite a general policy shift toward social responsibility, children in welfare households remain excluded from its full application. Instead, they continue to be positioned within a self-responsibility framework that sustains poverty in both discourse and policy practice. This contradiction highlights the limitations of current poverty policies and underscores the need to critically reconsider the balance between individual and social responsibility in education and welfare.