also: ネカフェなんみん
noun
net cafe refugee; homeless person living in an Internet cafe
Refers to people, often working poor or those without stable housing, who stay overnight in 24-hour Internet cafes because they cannot afford an apartment. A social phenomenon in Japan since the 2000s.
See also: ネカフェ難民 (ネカフェなんみん)
ネットカフェ難民の数は、不況の影響で増えていると言われている。
The number of net cafe refugees is said to be increasing due to the recession.
彼は家賃が払えず、ネットカフェ難民として暮らしている。
Unable to pay rent, he lives as a net cafe refugee.
ネットカフェ is the Internet cafe itself, while ネットカフェ難民 refers to the person who stays there as a form of housing.
ホームレス is a general term for homeless people, often implying rough sleeping. ネットカフェ難民 specifically refers to those who use Internet cafes as temporary shelter, often while still working.
Compound of ネットカフェ (Internet cafe) and 難民 (refugee). Coined in Japanese media in the mid-2000s to describe a growing social issue.