Please don ‘ t take a photo. He said. ?Certainly I lost family, but they are still living, and I am afraid of being known by them that I am begging on the street. But I keep taking a photo without being noticed by him. Because I am NinjaShotter who can take a photo without his noticing..
The reason he is begging is that he lost his leg, and his job and his family. He cannot earn money by himself except begging on the street.
Before time, he was freelance truck driver. Running mile is his earning. more heavy loading is his bonus. To earn money, he drive without sleeping. To feed his lovely family, he load more heavy cargo even if he know it ‘ s illegal over loading..
One day, heavy snowing night, when he drive in mountain area, he suddenly found there are accident car stopped on the forword road. He hurryingly stump brake pedal mightly. But his heavy loading and over speeding truck nev er allow to his truck on the slippy snow road.
In addition to crash with accidented car, his truck was crashed by succeeded car. Fortunately or unfortunately, he didn ‘ t die. But he broken his leg complicatedly and in coma for a month. After long long hospital treatment, doctor told him casually that because of in-hospital infection, his leg must be cut. After he lost his leg, he decide to go out hospital because he was told that his victomiser who must pay his hospital pay became bankrupt. No body pay his hospital payment.
When he come back to his house, he knew his lovely wife had had affair with known man. And his lovely family don ‘ t seem to give him confortable place.
Nobody say nothing to him, but that silence sound like asking him to leave his own home.
He say to me, who can blame his family ? and I think I also cannot blame him.
His sign board say that he lost his leg at car accident, and so he lost his job and his family also. please give me money.
And he beg me that Please don’t take a photo. He said. “ Certainly I lost family, but they are still living, and I am afraid of being known by them that I am begging on the street.
But I took a photo. Why ? because I though I must tell this story to someone. Because this is true story, and this must be journalism. I ‘ m maybe wrong. I ‘ m maybe egoist. I’m maybe violate human right. but I maybe can know what is journalism. I am a mania of the truth, MasaManiA.
Comments
What does his sign say?
========from MasaManiA
His board say that he lost his leg at car accident, and so he lost his job and his family also. please give me money.
i am latinlover and i live in latinammerica so i am surprise because here the people thinks taht japan is the land o f the super rich people si is amazing or tragic se poor people in the land of the super rich people.
In japan exist many poor people???
=======from MasaManiA
Of course.
aren’t there any social welfare to give him money and food? japan got pension system for elderly, surely got some welfare system for handicapped?
========from MasaManiA
We have any kind of welfare. but living cost is very high.
how depressing… who helps the homeless/disabled in japan? anyone? does the government do anything?
(you should do a report on this:
http://edition.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/asiapcf/04/16/china.japan.ap/index.html
i’m sure it would be interesting and scary.)
========from MasaManiA
Difficult problem.
Poor guy. Do you know how old he is?
=======from MasaManiA
I dont know
Quite sad.
You didn’t really tell anyone, people on the internet aren’t real 🙂
====from MasaManiA
Interesting idea
I can blame his family! This is suck! No one have a right to throw you on street only because your physical inability…
=======from MasaManiA
difficult problem
Harsh. I’m sure it’s allright Masa. This might not help him, but I think it’s good that people know his story.
=======from MasaManiA
Thank you
you are not maybe egoistic, you are definetly egoistic. mentioning your concerning though commiting does not make it better sounding but worse echoing.
i am sill in shock i cant believe in japan exist poor people, in japan doesnt exist a social help, to help poor people???
=========from MasaManiA
Of course it exist. but it seem not enough sometime.
I don’t think his family will see masa’s photo, because the chance they speak enrish is very low. the chance his family will meet him on the streets is much higher. anyways, if his family meet him, they may see that they did wrong.so bad feeling return to people who made bad feeling.
btw, did you tell him about dog legs handicapped wrestling?
========from MasaManiA
No i didnt
poor japan has enough problems to deal with.
http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=578&e=3&u=/nm/20050417/ts_nm/northasia_dc
Thank you very much for sharing his story. Telling the world about stories is journalism, so you are very correct in telling the man’s story. Keep up the good journalism, Masa.
=======from MasaManiA
THank you
Couldn’t he still drive a truck with one leg? I know handicapped people in America can still drive a car if they have the pedals and steering wheel modified.
Do they have modified handicapped cars in Japan?
========from MasaManiA
Of course we have, but no emplyer dont employ such people.
You didn’t show his face, you put it on a website for english people. So you did respect his wishes in a way because his family is unlikely to stumble on to this website and they can’t even see the guys face so it could be anyone.
========from MasaManiA
THank you for your understand.
you are surely a good ninjashotter
=====from MasaManiA
hahaha
His wife didn’t want a one-legged man so she slept with another, huh? Tough…
His story is a sad one. Hope you gave him some money after you took the pictures.
Cool extra leg.
But soo sad…
=========from MasaManiA
Yes
i thought there were no beggars in japan.. the japanese people i’ve talked too proudly said that unlike my country, japan takes care of the poor so there are no beggars.. HAH! this shows that theres no perfect country. this is true journalism!!!
=========from MasaManiA
Even though we have not so many begger, but we certainly have.
It’s difficult enough to deal with life as a healthy person, but reality is much harsher to those who are disabled. Things shouldn’t have been like this. The tragedy of the human condition…
I’ve had lots of Japanese tell me that their parents got divorced when the father lost his job in a restructuring or business failure. It seems like, to a large number of Japanese wives, perhaps a majority, a husband is only useful as long as he brings home a salary every month. No salary, and the wife dumps his ass faster than you can say “sayonara.”
Wow… I can’t believe they wouldn’t hire him even if he modified his truck so he was able to drive. I think it’s against the law in America not to hire someone for that reason if they are perfectly capable to do the job.
X_x
That is very sad story, Masa. Did you give him money?
=========from MasaManiA
yes
Here we see a man who is clearly on his last leg(s). Sure, it costs an arm and a leg to live in Japan, and this guy only has one leg left. However, perhaps he should not be moping on the pavement with his tail between his legs. He needs to shake a leg and have a crack at making something of his life. Perhaps with a leg up from kind souls such as Masa, there is hope for this man. Break a leg, Mr Hardluck man!
Where is this man begging? I’m gonna look for him and give him my ENTIRE life saving!!!! yeehaaa!!!
=======from MasaManiA
Please give me too.
even though you are taking his photo, you are still giving him the dignity because you do not reveal his identity.
photojournalist like you are the kind that this world needs, not the paparazzi who do not give enough respect to the people that they took photos for money and news.
well done, you have my respect!
============from MasaManiA
Thank you
Masa,
I was upset at first that you took his photo anyway, but you don’t show his face, or his identity. So, I think you made a good compromise here. Only use Ninja Photographer skills for Good, Good Masa.
Arigato,
-danny
=========from MasaManiA
tHANK YOU
Masa, you are a teriffic journalist. You seem to find excellent subjects and you find a good way of communicating the situation to others. I work in large business media, and if I was a Japanese editor, you would be hired first. Excellent work. You have to hope that we expand into Japan some day… 😉
========from MasaManiA
tHANK YOU
so sad to hear this heart breaking story.
but one of my japanese friend told me that these are all taken from china and this is not ture. Chinese people, they don’t like japanese so they post some stuffs that is not ture which is lie.
===========from MasaManiA
What are you talking about ?
As always, great report.
Good and truthful journalism combined with NinjaShotter capabilities will earn you big bucks, Masa. I hope to see you soon on television.
Cheers, sir.
=========from MasaManiA
THank you very much
With family like that you don’t need any enemies.
こ
i am sill in shock i cant believe in japan exist poor people, in japan doesnt exist a social help, to help poor people???
=========from MasaManiA
Of course it exist. but it seem not enough sometime.
Masa, if you used some of the online store part of your site for donations for the guy (paypal), I’m sure you could get some help for the guy, that is, if he only needs money. It sounds like he *really* needs a family and I’m really sorry to hear that he does not have one that cares.
This guy could really be the mascot for “Masa-mania” (other than the finger).
============from MasaManiA
I think he dont have paypal account.
i am sill in shock i cant believe in japan exist poor people, in japan doesnt exist a social help, to help poor people???
=========from MasaManiA
Of course it exist. but it seem not enough sometime.
I’ve been four times in Japan and I have seen a lot of homeless people. Japanese people told me that many of them actually like living this way. But I had never seen anyone asking for money… so your photos were a surprise for me.
What a sad story. But in my country it also happens sometimes. You have a family, a job, a life… and suddenly you lose all. We cannot be sure of anything in this life.
=========from MasaManiA
Yes, Japan has not so many begger, i think. But certainly we have.
and yes nobody know when we will be homeless.
I think he would have noticed you taking those pictures Masa.
Why would he have been worried about his family seeing your pictures? How could they see some random Japanese guys’ pictures? Did you tell him you had a website?
I hope he didn’t notice though and that you truely are a NinjaShotter.
===========from MasaManiA
No, he never notice my shoooting.
his wife is a slut. fuck that bitch.
Masa, your are a great truth teller. Too many media think they entertain us with stories. No, we want the truth, even if it is sad. Keep up your commitment to the truth. Your kind heart always shows up when you come to talk about beggers. Truth without kind heart is only cynism…
=========from MasaManiA
Thank you. Journalism is sometime crule.
Sooo sad. It is not easy to pick up after a series of blows like that and start all over. In any country. But I would say especially Japan. He is now very much an outcast. Very sad.
Masa: I commend you on not showing his face. But if you see him again could you tell him that we give food every monday in Shinjuku Chuo Park *Pocket park (poketo paku), across from Starbucks, near Tokyo Govt building *Tocho. If he get’s there around 3pm o’clock, he can get some food and sometimes free stuff around 5pm. More than 100 homeless people come everyweek. Can’t give him money, but we can definitely give him food! yoroshiku onegaishimasu.
==========from MasaManiA
THank you for good information.
I will say every people who seem to be need some help.
Hello masa!
When I travel to japan, I want to interview you and buy you a couple of drinks. The world needs more people like you.
ganbatte kudasai, masa – sensei!
=========from MasaManiA
I am looking forword to seeing you and drink.
Masa did you give this guy any money?
Did you respect his wish? He is full of shame. He lost his leg. Do you know how he feels? He has no money.. Tokyo isnt the place to be if you have no money…. even if you make 100,000 yen/year its impossible…
Koizumi really knows how to look after his citizens… VOTE KOIZUMI NUMBER 1
GO KOIZUMI!!! Japan has the best welfare system in the world. Thats why Japan is a country full of achievers and dole bludgers dont exist. YAY!!!!
============from MasaManiA
i give him money. and jap gov system cannot chose Primeminister
Aw, Masa I pray things will work out for him.
I think you are very nice to give him money.
======from MasaManiA
me too
Thats my worse fear ever,. being a begger and being homeless on the streets
Poor Man , He Had everything .. A family and a good job .. and now it comes down all to this ..
I hope everything will work out for him ..
Oh my god! I can’t stress how much I feel sorry for this man. Usually, beggers tend to put themselves in terrible situations. I am just bewildered that he has suffered a terrible life. Maybe one of you guys over in Japan could take a black and white photograph of him. Submit the photo to an art gallery as soon as possible. If this work sells, give him enough money to get him back on his feet. Sorry… foot. The world we live in – makes me cringe.
I think you have done a good think, Masa. His story needs to be told. People cannot ignore the truth, or the past, to do so is to insult those around you and those who came before you. It is for that reason that I want to become a history teacher. By telling his story, you have helped keep this man alive, and no one can say that is a bad thing.
JVT
=========from MasaManiA
THank you for your understanding
i think i cried…
It’s a sad fact rly that’s all roudn the world..
HOWEVER
your Uber 1337 Photo Shotting skills will save the world…
MASA FOR PRESIDENT/PRIME-MINISTER/DICTATOR/GOD(s)
nice journalistic skills tho kid…
keep it up
—
Kelly
========from MasaManiA
THank you
I know this kind of story. It many happens in Japan. I am from Japan. In Japan, if you are unenployee, you can’t get any support from goverment. Only if you worked long time, you can get 3month support form government.
My dad is 73years old and my mum is 62 yeards old, they still working as they can’t get enough mony from there pension.
I lives in UK now, this country much better about this kind of support.
Erm..stuff like these happen everyday and everywhere so the least we can do is try and help..so mista journalist while you were there what if you instead of taking a fucking picture didn’t you give the mans some money???
For some info. about Japan’s crime in China:
http://www.nhren.com/advert/noforget/nhren.htm
which explained why hatred is always around the universe.
Love your site.
Poor guy. Even when his wife left him and his family shunned him, he still asks Masa to not photograph him for fear of his former family knowing that he begs on the street. If I ran into this guy on my travels i’d probably hand him everything i have in my wallet.
Alex, Masa did give the guy some money. Read the comments.
=========from MasaManiA
You are good man
or maybe he is just a bum lying to get a fix again.
some fool just commented he’d give all his money to him. i’d never do that.
That man worked so fucking hard for his fammilly..and yet just because he lost his leg they rejected him like he was dirt..his bitchwife even cheated on him
========from MasaManiA
Yes, its sad
He flew to close to the sun.
i can’t believe that japan, being one of the richest countries in the world, have beggars…
============from MasaManiA
Jap just work and American get profit. Jap is poor.
Actually, Masa, Japan is not poor. Some Japanese citizens are poor, just like there are poor people in EVERY country.
When it comes to many big businesses, (the car manufacturing business seems to be most famous for this) Japan uses the US just like the US uses many third world countries. Japanese businesses consider Americans to be cheap labor. It is the Japanese keeping a tight hold on most of those profits.
If I lived in Japan I would find that man and let him live with me cause he doesn’t deserve to be like he his, poor guy I wish for him to be okay
how old is he ? He’s so poor . and it’s very sorry going out begging on the street when anyone is old . they could be tired or they could be hungry too.
Well done !
I wish I had money to give him.
I wish I had enough money to help everybody in the world.
But then what would we take photos of and what would make us feel !
Masa, Begging on the streets is not “earning” money. By giving him money, you only sought to make yourself feel good. You did him no favors by giving him money. It’s people like you who prolong his misery by supporting his begging. If you wanted to give him the help he needs, take him to a support agency that will teach him to earn a living or teach him yourself such as how to be a photo journalist or a one legged porno star. Oh no! That would be too tough. It’s easier to give him a few coins, encourage him to continue his begging, and go on your happy way feeling like you helped.
By the way, I do applaud your using him to bolster your website, however.
By the way, I do apprecciate your bring Japan to the rest of the world.
Hey I know this guy. Son of a bitch he owes me 2067 yen. where did you say he was?
MasaMania!
I don´t think give money is the solution for homeless. However I think is necesary give money.
Maybe soultion for homeless is not that government gives money to them. Solution must be teach all homeless think different. His incapacity is not physical, but mental. He can´t see his potential, so government should teach them how to think like winner.
if you give a fish to one man, he can eat one day. But if you teach him how to fish…. he will eat everyday.
Masa! you are the man!
its the point. dont give money to homeless instead, torture your government like the one we did in indonesia. just push the fag on the upper class people who let my fellow national countrymen sleeps on the dirty ground since they cant provide us with a fucking shelter cuz they cant even control flood and landslide, just what the fuck is government today anyway? they are just a bunch of corrupt ass sandwidch, dont listen to them but keep put pressure like doing a hell lot of protest,criticizm and petition. but not forget the full-scale riot like 1998th, its basically the government that makes indonesian get 450% rises of homeless just a few years ago. its the government fag, the corrupt bonehead, the sleepyhead senate, the political fags.
if the government are working properly, i think he wouldnt be on the streets today. thank you, masa!
How could his family abandon him? What a bunch of bastards. I would burn down their house if I were him, since he probably paid for it anyway. Those people fucking suck and they should be tortured slowly.
i read many of your other articles and i just want to say i love your site very much.
this one was very sad …
i always look forward to your new posts. 🙂
it’s horrible how his so called family did that to him, in my messed up family we still do what we can for each other no matter how bad the situation, like my aunt has HIV’s though we still talk to her (I think that she has the mind of a 6 year old) but anywho, that was a sad story