"In 1996, the rate was 11.2 percent, rising to 13.4 percent in 1999 and 15.7 percent in 2002"
Source: Expert warns income disparity, poverty rate to keep getting worse
By Akiko Kondo
Kyodo News
Thursday November 23rd 2006
Japan Times online
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20061123f4.html
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