[Public Assistance Applications Increase for 2 Consecutive Months] 'Did Mental Illness Come First, or Poverty?' About 40% of Public Assistance Recipients with Experience of Depression, etc., Say 'Illness Came First.' The Reality of Financial Hardship Caused by 'Unexpected Illness' That Can Happen to Anyone.

A-la-link Inc. (Headquarters: Toshima-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Tsubasa Takahashi), which operates "Dare Demo Sumaho" (Smartphone for Everyone) with the aim of supporting the independence of people facing communication difficulties, conducted a survey on the actual situation targeting 378 public assistance recipients who have experienced their mobile phone service being suspended.

On July 1, 2026, the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare announced that the number of public assistance applications in April was 20,861 (a 1.3% increase compared to the same month last year), marking an increase for two consecutive months. The consecutive increase for two months indicates that approaching households in need is an urgent task.

Amid growing interest in mental health issues such as "June sickness," it has become clear that 45.5% of public assistance recipients have a history of being diagnosed with depression or mental illness.

This survey revealed that in addition to the close relationship between the onset of mental illness and financial hardship, the reality is that the risk of isolation further increases when mobile phone service is suspended due to financial difficulties, cutting off emergency communication channels.

We will report on the importance of securing communication infrastructure to break the vicious cycle of illness and poverty.

Approximately Half of Public Assistance Recipients (45.5%) Experience Depression or Mental Illness

When asked "Have you ever been diagnosed with depression or mental illness?" among 378 individuals experiencing financial hardship whose mobile phones had been suspended, 45.50% (172 people) answered "Yes."

"No" was 48.41% (183 people), and "Prefer not to answer" was 6.08% (23 people).

This suggests that mental and physical health issues are often related to the background of financial hardship.

It is necessary to objectively grasp the relationship between the onset of mental illness and the deterioration of living conditions, rather than viewing the factors leading to public assistance solely as individual mental problems.

'Did Mental Illness Come First, or Poverty?' About 2 out of 5 Public Assistance Recipients Who Experienced Mental Illness Say 'Mental Illness Came First.'

When asked "Which came first, mental illness or financial hardship?" among 172 individuals with a history of mental illness diagnosis, "Mental illness symptoms came first, and then living became difficult" was the most common answer at 38.95% (67 people).

This was followed by "It happened almost simultaneously" at 26.74% (46 people), and "Living became difficult first, and then I was diagnosed with mental illness" at 23.26% (40 people).

These results indicate that there is a risk of suddenly falling into financial hardship due to unexpected depression or mental illness.

While the path of falling into poverty due to illness is the most common, it is also clear that the path of developing mental illness due to financial hardship and cases where both progress simultaneously are not uncommon.

Regardless of the causal relationship of which came first, there is a tendency for both to be closely intertwined and worsen living conditions.

85.5% Responded They Felt Anxious About Contacting in Case of Sudden Health Changes While Their Phone Was Suspended

When asked "How anxious were you about not being able to contact someone if your health suddenly worsened during the period your phone was suspended?" among 172 individuals with a history of mental illness diagnosis, 66.86% (115 people) answered "Strongly felt," and 18.60% (32 people) answered "Slightly felt," totaling 85.46% who experienced strong anxiety about communication.

The following comments were received in the free-response section:

- "I collapsed on my way home but couldn't call an ambulance, so I crawled on the ground to a place where I could sit and stayed there until I calmed down. It was truly miserable" (50s, female)

- "I had trouble contacting my case worker or friends when something happened" (60s, male)

- "I was extremely anxious about not being able to contact anyone in case of sudden illness or accident" (60s, male)

Regardless of whether mental illness or financial hardship came first, there is a tendency for individuals to fall into a situation where they cannot be contacted in emergencies due to the loss of communication means, and the anxiety associated with it. The lack of communication infrastructure can be a direct cause of life-threatening situations.

Conclusion

This survey showed that approximately half of individuals in financial hardship experience mental illness, and that illness and financial hardship are closely related.

Furthermore, 85.5% of individuals felt anxious about contacting in case of sudden health changes while their mobile phones were suspended. The loss of communication means is considered a factor that deepens isolation and life risks in emergencies.

To break this vicious cycle, securing communication infrastructure is indispensable as an entry point for accessing administrative and medical services, alongside medical approaches to mental illness.

Survey Overview

Survey Period: May 22, 2026 - May 27, 2026

Survey Method: Questionnaire Survey

Survey Organization: Dare Demo Sumaho Research Center

Valid Responses: 378

Survey Target: Men and women with experience receiving public assistance

● Request for Credit Notation When Quoting or Republishing

*When quoting or republishing this release, please be sure to clearly indicate the credit.

<Example> According to the survey results conducted by "Dare Demo Sumaho Research Center"...

This survey revealed the reality that mental illness and financial hardship are closely intertwined, causing a vicious cycle. Events such as being unable to call an ambulance during a sudden health change are serious issues brought about by the lack of communication infrastructure. Through the provision of "Dare Demo Sumaho," our company is committed to supporting the communication environment that allows individuals to access medical and administrative support, and to doing our utmost to save individuals from the cycle of poverty.

Tsubasa Takahashi, Representative Director

"Dare Demo Sumaho," offered by A-la-link Inc., is a service that allows individuals who have difficulty contracting for mobile phone service due to past payment arrears, etc., to contract by simply providing identification documents. By adopting a unique screening process, we quickly provide the lifeline of communication and prevent social isolation. To date, we have supported a cumulative total of 110,000 people, supporting the first step towards employment and social reintegration for many.

【 Company Profile 】

Company Name

A-la-link Inc. (Main Service: Dare Demo Sumaho)

Headquarters

NTT Shin-Ikebukuro Building 9F, 3-21-14 Higashi-Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku, Tokyo 170-0013

Representative Director

Tsubasa Takahashi

Business Activities

1. Telecommunications Business

2. Leasing or Sale of Telecommunications Equipment

3. Planning, Development, Sales, Leasing, Operation, and Maintenance of Communication Equipment and Peripherals

4. All businesses incidental or related to the preceding items

URL

https://www.a-sas.ne.jp/feature/