地域社会の「つながり」重視　コロナや単身者増で希薄化―厚労白書

　厚生労働省は１日の閣議で、２０２３年版厚生労働白書を報告した。新型コロナウイルスの流行や単身世帯の増加で人々の交流が希薄化し、引きこもりやひとり親など困り事を抱える人が増えたと指摘。住民が集まる「居場所」を設けるなど、つながり支え合う地域社会をつくる重要性を強調した。
　少子高齢化が進む中、全世帯に占める単身世帯の割合は１９９０年の２３．１％から、２０２０年は３８．０％に増加。コロナ禍も相まって、生活困窮、ドメスティックバイオレンス（ＤＶ）、高齢の親が中高年の子を養う「８０５０問題」、家族の介護を子どもが担う「ヤングケアラー」などの問題も顕在化している。
　さらに、育児と困窮を同時に抱えるひとり親や、従来の支援の対象に当てはまらず制度の隙間に落ちる引きこもりなど、問題が複雑化・複合化しているとした。（2023/08/01-10:22）

Japan's Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry on Tuesday stressed the importance of building communities with mutual support and interactions as the Japanese society is increasingly losing such human connections.
   The ministry's 2023 health, labor and welfare report said the number of people in trouble, including "hikikomori" social recluses and single parents, has been rising as a result of the novel coronavirus crisis and an increase in single-member households weakening human relationships.
   Due to the graying of Japan's population, single-member households accounted for 38.0 pct of all households in the country in 2020, up from 23.1 pct in 1990.
   Problems are on the increase, such as domestic violence, economic hardships, the "8050 problem," in which elderly parents have to financially support their middle-aged children, and young carers, or young children who provide daily care for family members in need.
   In addition, the annual report cited complicated problems for some people, such as single parents in poverty, and social recluses ineligible for conventional support programs. These problems "could happen to anyone," it warned