"Are You an Adult Without a Working Phone?" Real Job Hunting Struggles of Over 400 People Who Lost Their Smartphones Due to Pandemic Income Drops

The "Dare Demo Smartphone Research Center" (Headquarters: Toshima-ku, Tokyo; CEO: Tsubasa Takahashi), which develops support businesses for those in telecommunication distress, conducted a fact-finding survey on the impact of the lack of communication means on employment among men and women who were "unable to own a mobile phone" for a certain period because they failed the screening process of mobile carriers. On the other hand, more than 450 respondents answered that their "income and working style stabilized" by regaining communication. [The Chain Reaction of 'Shift Reductions' Due to Force Majeure and the Loss of Communication Infrastructure] According to a survey published by the Nomura Research Institute in 2021, the number of "substantially unemployed" people—those whose work shifts were reduced by 50% or more amid the COVID-19 pandemic and who could not receive leave allowances—was estimated to reach 1.46 million nationwide. Unemployment and shift reductions are often not solely the individual's responsibility, but occur as a force majeure due to fluctuations in social conditions. This survey also confirmed a negative loop: a single income reduction leads to the loss of communication infrastructure, which in turn makes re-employment difficult. [The First Stumbling Block: 'Sudden Shift Reductions and Unemployment'] The most frequently cited trigger for becoming unable to pay mobile phone bills was "sudden shift reductions and unemployment (167 people)." This suggests that in many cases, it is not personal overspending, but rapid changes in the working environment that shake the foundations of livelihood, ultimately making it impossible to maintain communication infrastructure. Unexpected income reductions against the backdrop of the pandemic hit household budgets directly, forcing people to postpone paying communication expenses among other living costs, which creates a path leading to the suspension or forced cancellation of mobile phones. [The Wall of 'No Contact Info = No Trust'. The Reality of Not Even Being Able to Apply] When looking for jobs during the period they did not have a mobile phone, 408 people answered that there was "no" job that actually hired them. Free-text responses from the survey reveal the harsh reality that simply "not having a phone number" causes one to lose social trust and completely deprives them of the opportunity to even get an interview. - "If an adult in their 30s or 40s has a suspended phone, finding a job is impossible."