Introduction: Comparative Perspectives on Poverty and Inequality: Japan and the United Kingdom

In: Social policy and society: SPS ; a journal of the Social Policy Association, Volume 13, Issue 1, p. 63-67

Abstract

Poverty and inequality appear to be intractable features of rich industrialised nations. It is a great paradox that despite rising prosperity in most advanced industrialised countries over the last two or three decades, poverty and inequality have remained stubbornly high and have even increased in the majority of rich countries (OECD, 2008, 2011). The United Kingdom and Japan are no exceptions to these trends. Despite having markedly different historical trajectories, there is evidence that the two societies are converging on the issue of these pressing social problems.